Exeter Hospital employee led to an outbreak of hepatitis C - Page 2

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  1. Jun 15, '12 by
    Woweeee. I would hate to be the Infection Prevention team at that hospital...
  2. Jun 15, '12 by
    For how long have stores had surveillance cameras all over the place to pick up shoplifting? Aren't there enough mysteries in the hospital that maybe it's about time to put cameras up all over the place? I can hear the moans of "NO Big Brother!, but think about it.....if there was surveillance cameras in med rooms, pt rooms, nursing stations, wouldn't it be easier to track down the behavior that starts a good deal of the outbreaks and situations of abuse? Are these outbreaks less serious than shoplifting?
  3. Jun 15, '12 by
    Quote from PrimaFacie
    For how long have stores had surveillance cameras all over the place to pick up shoplifting? Aren't there enough mysteries in the hospital that maybe it's about time to put cameras up all over the place? I can hear the moans of "NO Big Brother!, but think about it.....if there was surveillance cameras in med rooms, pt rooms, nursing stations, wouldn't it be easier to track down the behavior that starts a good deal of the outbreaks and situations of abuse? Are these outbreaks less serious than shoplifting?
    But people walking around in department stores aren't wearing gowns, having invasive procedures like foley insertions performed, and the big one, aren't protected by HIPAA. There is no expectation in a public place like the local mall; there is an expectation of privacy in the hospital that is legally provided for.
    SkyeHawk3, Miss Lizzie, and Esme12 like this.
  4. Jun 15, '12 by
    Quote from Sweet_Wild_Rose
    But people walking around in department stores aren't wearing gowns, having invasive procedures like foley insertions performed, and the big one, aren't protected by HIPAA. There is no expectation in a public place like the local mall; there is an expectation of privacy in the hospital that is legally provided for.
    Well of course that is very true, but the films could be protected as well, and only reviewed when there is need for an investigation. I'm sure it wouldn't be a simple thing to implement, or legislate, but it could be a valuable tool, no?
  5. Jun 16, '12 by
    Quote from Sweet_Wild_Rose
    But people walking around in department stores aren't wearing gowns, having invasive procedures like foley insertions performed, and the big one, aren't protected by HIPAA. There is no expectation in a public place like the local mall; there is an expectation of privacy in the hospital that is legally provided for.
    if someone is willing to have their privacy invaded by an airline to take a leisure trip to jamaica....i'm pretty sure they'd be willing to be 'under surveillance' to protect themselves from instances like this.
  6. Asst. Admin
    Jun 16, '12 by
    IF, and that's a big IF, this has been caused by a staff member and diversion. The actual cause of the outbreak has yet to be determined this could also be the case of using a multidose vial that got contaminated and then cross contamination occurs. The CDC, board of Health, The JC, and the attorney General are all over this event. This I assure you.

    The subject of cameras have been talked about for years and it has been decided that with rare exceptions for self harm, cameras violate the Right for Privacy and Unlawful Surveillance, Search and Seizure. These Rights are protected by the Constitution of The United States, and patients Do Not Want them.

    Hospitals have decided that the liability and risk that accompanies this on a large scale isn't worth the extra security threat may provide. EICU's...ICU with surveillance to another protected room where patients are watched are rare and get limited use due to the liability issues and patients don't want to be video taped at their most vulnerable time.

    To say "the films could be protected as well, and only reviewed when there is need for an investigation." Is Pipe dream. Heck ....."we" (as the collective whole) can't keep people from being irresponsible and negligent to keep them from posting confidential stuff on Facebook! Taking pictures/videos of patient withtheir personal phones or creeping through electronic records. Protecting all that 24/7 footage? Jeeze....impossible on a large scale.

    The extra expense involved is probative when there are cheaper, easier solutions. Like single dose vials. The abusers/addicts will ALWAYS find a way. Cameras for security are all over hospitals in ares of "High Security Risk" such as Emergency department/Hospital doors and hallways of OB/Nursery units. PLaced in public accessways.

    Cameras maybe in department stores and the Airport but they are not in the bathrooms or changing areas......where there is the expectation of privacy is maintained. Besides many people don't like the scanners nor the TSA and at the hospital there is no danger to National security to warrent their use.

    Cameras in patient care areas on a large scale...not likely IF ever.
    Last edit by Esme12 on Jun 16, '12
    wooh likes this.
  7. Jun 16, '12 by
    Quote from Esme12
    Cameras in patient care areas on a large scale...not likely IF ever.
    Remember in 20 years that you said this.

    You may be young, but I am old, and I remember black and white TV.
    Video conferencing was thought to be a space aged idea and none of us ever thought we would see it in our lifetime. Now there are sophisticated EMRs, remote surgery, unmanned drones, swiping your phone to pay at Starbucks....etc....

    There will be cameras everywhere eventually.....this is just a matter of putting them to use now, to do better evidence based investigations.

    I found a few articles online where hospitals are using TV surveillance in ICUs.
    If you Google search cameras + hospitals you actually get quite a bit of hospitals implementing them....and they are allowed by HIPAA.

    "Using monitoring devices is acceptable if it is done for legitimate reasons related to patient care and if patients or their legal representatives give permission for the monitoring."

    (I think) Soon, the permission won't be necessary.
  8. Jun 16, '12 by
    I just want to add, what is the difference of protecting all that EMR data from protecting video data?
    None.
  9. Jun 16, '12 by
    Had another thought that related to this......What about those nanny surveliance systems?
    Everyday, another babysitter is caught abusing a child, and it's all caught on the nanny-cam.

    Concrete evidence, she shook that baby.
    Fired
    Arrested
    inprisoned (hopefully)
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    There is SO MUCH substance abuse by nurses, there has to be a better soloution than a electronic sign out machine.
    Maybe hospitals need pain management teams who administer all narcs.
    -Remove the narcs from the floor nurses reach.
    -Pain management team does regular drug testing as part of the equirements to stay on the team.
    -Some will argue that this is a demotion of responsibilities to non addict nurses, but its really just the same as having an IV team.
    Is that a viable soloution?
  10. Guide
    Jun 16, '12 by
    Quote from primafacie
    there is so much substance abuse by nurses, there has to be a better soloution than a electronic sign out machine.
    maybe hospitals need pain management teams who administer all narcs.
    -remove the narcs from the floor nurses reach.
    -pain management team does regular drug testing as part of the equirements to stay on the team.
    -some will argue that this is a demotion of responsibilities to non addict nurses, but its really just the same as having an iv team.
    is that a viable soloution?
    unquestionably, you have a point a mere one but a point nonetheless, which brings me to a remind everyone that is not only the nurses with the substance abuse, we can't eliminate the other medical personnel involved in this issue. let's say for the sake of argument, we bring in the pain mngt. team to deliver all narcotics what guarantees us then that within this team there isn't some medical staff suffering from substance abuse? the drug testing offers a more reliable solution with the blessings of hippa, however, i have always said that where there's a will there's a way. in addition, then we're confronted with the violation rights of certain individuals regarding to the camera surveillance. therefore, it would take a good amount of research and legal review in order to establish a concrete solution to this difficult dilemma that we're confronted in every facility and it has become a taboo subject which can't be solve with a band-aid... just saying