Access To Providers Personal Cell

Published

Specializes in Family.

I am a NP and nurses commonly call me about patients. Is it a Violation to obtain my personal cell phone number and use it for personal use? I had a nurse call me at 9pm about their family member.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

HIPAA violation? No. 

However, a nurse calling your personal cell phone at 2100 to discuss one of their family members is definitely inappropriate.

 

6
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Can I ask why you would think something like this might have anything to do with HIPAA?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg, Geriatrics, Surgical, Peds, Ortho.

This has nothing to do with Hippaa. It is a problem if it's no OK with you. Where I work Charge nurses an UMs have all MD/NP/PA contacts in our phone...many are personal cell contacts. The NP that covers over half our patients prefers this method of communication. I rarely just call her but text..I.e; BV on OB unit PT/INR. Scanned image attached. Please advise. She'll either text back "continue with current warfarin dose or call me back. All of our cell phones have facility firewalls. If it's not your method of contact preference then it's unfortunate your # was obtained. Either way..it's HIGHLY inappropriate of whoever called you about a family member...no matter the time of day or night!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Just tell them it isn't OK. 

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg, Geriatrics, Surgical, Peds, Ortho.

Guess that's what I was trying to say in a long winded kind of way ?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SNF/LTC, Wound Care, Infection Control.

If it is not work related then staff should not be calling you. They need to respect those professional and personal boundaries. It can become an issue real fast once your number is out there. 

The medical director at my work prefers we call him on his cell phone and takes calls at anytime. However, we used to have it in the e-MAR but this became a problem when patients and their families saw it on the face sheet and would call it. Our staffing director also had problems with way too many employees calling her after hours and on her days off instead of going through the proper channels when they need to call out. When she got a new number she refused to have it listed where everyone could access it. 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

We have most of our providers cell number, whether it's a personal or business number that would be up to the provider. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg, Geriatrics, Surgical, Peds, Ortho.

Agree about provider choice! Their office number only appears on face sheet. Only Charge nurses or supes have their PN. Hell No! Not on a face sheet!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics.

That’s when you ask “do you feel it is appropriate to call me after work hours about a situation regarding a person who is not under my care?” And leave it at that.

As a facility DON I had an employee call me after hours to take a urine sample for her. if you allow this behavior, it will continue and get worse. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Physiology, CM, consulting, nsg edu, LNC, COB.
On 6/22/2022 at 7:02 PM, Sheree B said:

I am a NP and nurses commonly call me about patients. Is it a Violation to obtain my personal cell phone number and use it for personal use? I had a nurse call me at 9pm about their family member.

Ah, the dread plural their. Was this nurse calling you about a concern Re a patient’s family because you were on call? That would be OK, probably, as long as you know whether that family member has permission to discuss PHI. If not, you can listen to anybody say anything if you want to, but not impart PHI to an unauthorized person.

If your beef is that Nurse Dale called you about his or her partner’s or sibling’s rash or lab work, there’s no HIPAA violation here, but you would be perfectly justified to say, “I am not your partner’s primary care, and please never call me like this again unless it’s one of my patients.” Then hang up. 
 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
On 6/22/2022 at 7:02 PM, Sheree B said:

I am a NP and nurses commonly call me about patients. Is it a Violation to obtain my personal cell phone number and use it for personal use? I had a nurse call me at 9pm about their family member.

Tell her your number for is for patient care only. She might like you and/or respect enough to ask for your advice.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion