Texas Ready Nurses preparing for Hurricane Dean

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Aug 19, 2007

I got it. I think it's legitimate, but there are several goofy things about it:

The message originally went to my Spam folder, probably because the sender (apparently a BNE employee) wasn't adequately identified. In the Sender line, it just gives a name as opposed to a name and organization or affiliation. (I wonder how much of this employee's mail goes unread simply because people don't know who she is.)

The email address listed at the bottom of the message seems valid and after looking around for a bit on www.texasnurses.org, you can find some info regarding Ready Texas Nurses. However, there doesn't appear to be any specific information posted about volunteers being sought for Hurricane Dean.

I understand the need to verify credentials, but is it really necessary to request that license numbers be sent via email? I would think that they know better.

The two logos attached to the email also made me scratch my head a little bit. Besides being unnecessary, they do serve to raise suspicions.

gauge14iv, MSN, APRN, NP · Aug 20, 2007

Nursing License numbers are public information available on the BNE website. There should be no privacy concerns about emailing them because any member of the public can go look yours up as long as they have your name.

If you have concerns about the emails visit this link

http://www.texasnurses.org/rtn/rtn.htm

The TNA website is sort of goofy - just like the emails! Once you look at the website it makes sense.

ETA: Yes, an alert has been posted for Hurricane Dean - I doubt they actually update the website though. Me thinks they may need help with that.

CyndieRN2007 · Aug 20, 2007

I wasnt worried about my personal info, as I know it comes out on the BNE website as public information. I was just wondering how many other nurses got the email. So, has anyone been contacted again to go help in case of the Hurricane hits?

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Aug 20, 2007

Nursing License numbers are public information available on the BNE website.

That's a good point! I forgot about that.

TinyNurse, RN · Aug 20, 2007

I'm working as a traveler in Houston, and haven't gotten the information. Also my ER is not doing anything special to prepare.

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Aug 20, 2007

I was told that our hospital would make a determination today or tomorrow as to whether or not to declare a 'standby alert' for an external disaster.

It depends on if the path migrates more North and if patients are re-located out of Houston, as a result. I live about 60miles inland, North of Houston.

When RITA came, the hospital paid something like 100 nurses time and a half about 48hrs pay just to BE there, just in case. The hospital was reimbursed with Fed Disaster dollars. Most of the nurses ended up playing cards or sleeping. Not a bad way to earn overtime. And, that was a HUGE paycheck for the nurses that stayed (The equivalent of 4 overtime shifts in a single payday.)

It was voluntary, so I stayed home. I preferred to be with my family.

~faith,

Timothy.

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Aug 20, 2007

i got it as well and then at the bottom it says they want my rn license number...well there gonna have to wait cause i'm a lvn....

purple_rose_3 · Aug 21, 2007

I got that message as well and I deleted already. But I was under the impression that every RN in the state of Texas got that e-mail, because we are registered with the state board.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Aug 22, 2007

I wasnt worried about my personal info, as I know it comes out on the BNE website as public information. I was just wondering how many other nurses got the email. So, has anyone been contacted again to go help in case of the Hurricane hits?

Yes, I received this very same email a while back. However, I'm an LVN, and they were requesting an RN license number.