admin shows her family the psych unit

[camrn56]

We just got a new administrator at our psych hospital and psych cbrf. She brought in her mother and her daughter to show them where she works. Is this a HIPPA violation? We were shocked, as doing this would probably get anyone else terminated.

[elkpark]

I would be v. surprised to learn that that would not be an obvious HIPAA violation, as well as a violation of the individual facility's rules, and I agree that this would be a serious problem if anyone else did it. Is this person entirely new to psych? I would make sure her superiors are aware that this occurred.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

HIPAA HIPAA HIPAA

If she were just showing them the outside of the building, or her office, and no patients were visible, not a problem. If any of her family could see a patient, very poor judgment.

[la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN]

Yes, that is totally a violation. That is wildly inappropriate. And seriously, what family would be interested in seeing that?

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

Picking my jaw off the floor...

[Gabby-RN]

I have brought my 10 year old child to work on my day off. I forgot my bag there and stopped in to get it. My manager was in the lobby and suggested I show my child the solarium. We said hello to everyone at the nurses station, a physical therapist showed us the gym, my manager showed us his office. We did not go in any patient rooms or anything. Many of the employees have stopped by with family to show them where they work or had spouses come to the unit to drop off lunch or join them for lunch etc. I think if the psych hospital allows visitors or does tours of the facility that it probably would not be a violation if they did not enter patients private rooms. If it is against policy for their to be staff visitors then it should be a policy for all employees including administrators. My hospital spells out the policy though. Visitors can not enter patient rooms unless invited, break rooms, staff only areas such as supply rooms, etc.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Just because your child or touring visitors don't enter a patient room doesn't make it OK. If your child (or any non-staff visitor) saw patients without the their consent, it's a violation of the patients' privacy. Management might want to have risk management look that policy over.

[Gabby-RN]

Just because your child or touring visitors don't enter a patient room doesn't make it OK. If your child (or any non-staff visitor) saw patients without the their consent, it's a violation of the patients' privacy. Management might want to have risk management look that policy over.

In that case wouldn't every patients privacy rights be violated nearly every day if the hospital allows visitors? I'm just being devil's advocate here but if the patients are allowed personal visitors how are they different? A visitor is a visitor. The patient visitors have access to the same places I walked with my child. The hospital policy is fair to everyone. Patients are transported to various places (xray, CT, OR, PT) throughout their hospital stay. They often pass by visitors, other staff, and patients during this time. We do not obtain consent for this. We assure they are not exposed during transfer and bring them where they need to go. We kindly ask patient visitors that linger near the nurses station or look in to other patients rooms to please refrain from doing so because of privacy reasons but we don't restrict visitors.

[angelabLPN]

I dont think it is a violation simply because Guided tours are done at requests daily at most places. No patient info or names should be given out and things such as this but a tour is not from what I have witnessed.