Surveillance cameras in pedi patient's home?

Specialties Private Duty

Published

I have been working this case for my 8 year-old private care patient for a few years. Her other two nurses have been there longer than me. We are considered family by her parents and they are very demanding about her care for understandable reasons. Today we were informed that they were getting a new security system installed and they decided to put video cameras in her bedroom and living/nurses area. They can watch us at any time they choose remotely. I have nothing to hide but the idea is bothering me quite a bit and I'm not real sure why. The other nurse is bothered as well. Any opinions?

Specializes in Home Care, Peds, Public Health, DD Health.

i just wanted to add that just because there is a camera doesn't mean there is video. The camera we had pointing at our sons bed, with the monitor in our room was live with no video. It was simply to be able to look and see if my child was seizing at night. Now when a nurse shuts the door to his room (no reason to do this and I stated on more than one occasion unless changing diapers we had an open door policy), then I would go take a look at the monitor. The hidden camera that we got when drugs were being stolen could be watched on any tv or video and recorded but was for the purposes of police surveilance. That nurse lost her license and was also caught at the hospital she worked for at the same time. And I got rid of that one immediately after she was caught.

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Specializes in Pediatric.

I'm covering shifts on a case (2x a week) that can't keep a nurse to save their lives. They've gone through 73 nurses in a YEAR.

Part of this is they have cameras. TWO in the patient's room, and others throughout the house.

Honestly? I kind of hate it. It's unnerving as hell. And they watch the footage, and then come give you negative feedback based on what they've seen. (Usually petty BS.)

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What do you have to hide? Almost everyone has cameras on them these days.. restaurants, grocery stores, drug stores.. You are the type of nurse I wouldn't want working for me. That's why we have cameras. Found out a nurse was YELLING at my 12 year old. A child that can do nothing, cannot even talk .. but he yells at him. We have to protect our kids. Im sure you would do the same if you were in our shoes.

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Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.
What do you have to hide? Almost everyone has cameras on them these days.. restaurants, grocery stores, drug stores.. You are the type of nurse I wouldn't want working for me. That's why we have cameras. Found out a nurse was YELLING at my 12 year old. A child that can do nothing, cannot even talk .. but he yells at him. We have to protect our kids. Im sure you would do the same if you were in our shoes.

I agree that's uncalled for. No nurse should be yelling at a child. Talking loudly to a hearing impaired child could be different though. Most nurses are good people that parents have nothing to worry about. One bad experience can forever ruin trust though. I'm sorry you and your child went through that. At least we aren't all the same! But it is awkward to be watched as you adjust your bra strap at work...maybe not do bad if the mom sees it, but not so good if the dad sees it. So I see both sides. I'm sure telling the nurses a camera is there or having it out in plain view is a good enough deterrent from behavior like yelling at a child. Plus, I'd probably fix my bra strap out of view if the camera :-)

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Nope...the cameras are filming two entire rooms. It just is an invasion of privacy.

Invasion of privacy? Our work space is SOMEONE ELSE'S home. I think parents and care givers deserve every right to check in on their child via Web cams etc however they wish. Their child. Their home. If you are a competent nurse and confident care giver than you should have no concerns regarding monitoring in areas of treatment. If they were placing cameras in private areas like bathrooms etc then yeah I see cause for concern.

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I believe they have the right to tape but only if the nurses are aware. I'm not taped at my job but if I were I probably would be a bit more "professional". I will hold my pts hands and have them play on their toy drum even though they don't understand what's going on, I mean I would be embarrassed if the parents walk in and hear me singing to their baby.

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Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.
I believe they have the right to tape but only if the nurses are aware. I'm not taped at my job but if I were I probably would be a bit more "professional". I will hold my pts hands and have them play on their toy drum even though they don't understand what's going on, I mean I would be embarrassed if the parents walk in and hear me singing to their baby.

It seems to me that's developmentally appropriate play. Even if the child may not understand what he's doing, it's probably still fun for him. The only thing I would be embarrassed about is my awful singing voice!

i don't care if parents have cameras in my patient's room. I don't have anything to hide & I'm very competent & confident with the care I provide.

As someone else pointed out, we are in someone's private home doing our job. They have every right to do whatever they want to insure their child is being well cared for.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

As long as the cameras are not in bathrooms (where privacy is a reasonable expectation) nor do the parents post the videos online, I'm fine with it. While I don't embarrass easily, it doesn't mean that I want my silly bag of tricks posted online. Though I think the landscapers were thoroughly entertained (easily could see in the open windows) while I danced around with my then toddler patient and sang. Kiddo enjoyed it with the most beautiful belly laugh and even started approximating vocalizing "again" and "go" to let me know desires.

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Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.

Yep, I'm sure I've entertained plenty of landscapers, meter readers, waste removal guys, apartment workers, etc. The things only a PDN would understand!

Has anyone ever felt creeped out by cameras or felt like a parent was creepy enough to install one in the bathroom?

I've only been creeped out by one parent. He was in his 60s and married to a model in her 20s. They had cameras everywhere and multiple cameras in every room. He would monitor from his in home office. He would bring the mom into their bedroom when he wanted her and believed all women should be submissive to men. He believed God wanted women to obey men. I always felt watched, and not in a good way. I always checked the bathroom for cameras and never trusted him.

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I'm covering shifts on a case (2x a week) that can't keep a nurse to save their lives. They've gone through 73 nurses in a YEAR.

Part of this is they have cameras. TWO in the patient's room, and others throughout the house.

Honestly? I kind of hate it. It's unnerving as hell. And they watch the footage, and then come give you negative feedback based on what they've seen. (Usually petty BS.)

This is my current experience. We have a 24/7 private pay client who isn't satisfied with anything his caregivers do. And all of us got an email today saying that our agency director will be "reviewing the tapes" on cameras we didn't know existed to determine who is "letting the client down," per his non-specific complaints of "not being satisfied." This is a director who is of the opinion that the client is a customer, and the customer is always right. I'm not concerned because I've only subbed at his home, maybe a total of 5 times, and I am confident that I gave him my best every time. But this thread gave me the encouragement I needed to say I'd rather look for a new job. A director who won't back her staff isn't anyone I want to work for.

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I'd be bothered a little because if you get an itch down there you can't scratch it because you know they'll be warching. As far as caring for the patient I'd have no concern about that because I care for my patients. The only thing is, in home care sometimes you get a lot of down time when the kid is bed ridden and can only watch TV. A lot of the times I sit and read my kindle or a few magazines when I'm bored. Some parents might think you're on your phone texting and think we have to sit there staring at the kid 24/7. That's the only issue I'd have with it.

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Lawsuits provide perspective.

Exactly. I do not trust that people have good intentions when cameras are placed. I do understand that MOST do not place them with the intent to sue, just to make sure their loved one is well taken care of. However, this is not the case with everyone and it is impossible to know which family is which.

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