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?

Getting back to the OP's questions...If I worked for the same family for a few years I would probably be a bit upset at first and wonder why they want to start video taping now? Has there been any problems or issues before? I'm assuming this is what has upset you? If you have been like family since then it is kinda a bit of a slap in the face. Something must have changed?

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Specializes in Pediatric.

Just read through this entire thread and I can't believe a nurse peed in the kitchen sink!!!

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I just started in PDN. The thought of a "nanny-cam" came up for me. I wouldn't know what to look for, but I think that in these cases there might be one. I don't know if there is, but it doesn't really bother me. I understand why a parent might want one and I can't imagine them looking at them in great length. I think they have their hands full and time fully accounted for. This day and age you almost have to assume you're on camera whereever you go!!

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Specializes in Peds, developmental disability.

The nurse was female?!?Oh...a tall female.

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Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.

I love you avatar Texan56!

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As a pre-nursing student AND the mother of a terminally ill, non verbal little girl I get to look at this from both sides of the fence. She is clumsy and falls a lot, and her aggression makes her prone to attacking her brother like a whacked out pit bull (no offense), leaving him with bruises or bite marks. You hear of horror stories every single day about trusted PT's HHA's that are trusted like family to take care of their kids only to find that they were beating them horribly for something such as having a BM. I finally get a RN to help me with my daughter on Friday. I don't know her from Adam, but after 24 hours I am expected that she will treat my daughter the same way I will, and be just as patient with her. When I leave for my classes who knows what can happen. I will have cameras in the bedroom/living room when we get our house later this year, and not because I don't trust her, but because I love my daughter and something has to be her voice, since she does not speak. I would be ecstatic to watch those videos and see her nurse, playing with her! That would please me greatly, I would also feel better knowing that "just in case" I do not have the wrong person in my house though.

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Specializes in Peds, developmental disability.

Thank you., Dakotadenise. Of course the topic of the safety of any child with no voice is a serious matter. My only objection to the camera would be if the mom used it to micro-manage the nurse. I find that to be toxic.

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Thank you., Dakotadenise. Of course the topic of the safety of any child with no voice is a serious matter. My only objection to the camera would be if the mom used it to micro-manage the nurse. I find that to be toxic.

Oh I can only imagine.. that would make me crazy.

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Specializes in Peds, developmental disability.

Your little Emily looks like an Angel...

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Your being watched and judged every where....it doesn't bother me I am who I am :)

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I have a vent dependent, micro-preemie trach baby with a g-tube. You can bet your ass that I will have cameras in my home. Not for malicious intent, but because I hear SOOOO many stories of night nurses SLEEPING ON THE JOB. Keep your eyes open, do your job, and you will be fine.

If you are dong what you are supposed to, what difference does it make if you are on camera/being filmed or not? Got something to hide?

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Specializes in Pediatric.
The moms of these private duty kids are quite often but not always a little wackado and control freaky. Post it notes everywhere anyone? Maybe the nurses need to videotape them.Though I am not one to be overly fearful but my gut instinct is if I was recorded and the patient had a bad outcome because of something mom did that they would find something on tape to cover their own booty.Urban legend has it at my old work that a patient died 1hour after the last nurse left but the mom wouldn't accept responsibility. Rumor has it.

Good post, and yikes about that urban legend... I wouldn't want to work at that case. Some PDN parents can be so awesome, some can be so scary. And l oh freakin l on the post it notes comment.

Quite a few of the parents are still cycling through Kubler Ross stages, and I'm sorry this is a factor.

No employee, wants every second of their work dissected, no matter how good they are.

Very true, I feel the same way. One of my cases- I'm there 24 hours a week- has TWO cameras in the patients room (one with remote viewing access from all the family's smart phones) and one in the family living room. One of the bedroom cameras has sound.

I think the thought of being videotaped covertly just instinctively feels wrong. My husbands boss spends his lunch zooming in on people on the surveillance watching people as the chew.

Looking over the statues and such like they only one I could find was the one covering the audio which was not originally conceived to allow nanny cams. What I couldn't find was anything that says you can videotape only the minueta of it. Well probably start to see legal cases surrounding this start to trickle through and start providing some prescendence.

If I was working directly for the family and being paid by the family I might understand but if anyone if going to record me at work it should be my employer and have them be in control of the tapes. This is a stretch comparison but its like the customer having control of the store security camera's while shopping.

I'm very curious about the audio factor now. I want to know because the family I'm at 3 days a week has audio and sometimes I get a call here or there... I don't want to be audio recorded. I think that's going too far. Should I call my agency?

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