anyone heard of a similiar situation like this?

[iiliana]

So a couple months ago, I received an e-mail from nursing professor at my school. In the e-mail they talked about how a bunch of nursing students were on an elevator at the hospital giggling a lot and talking about a patient that they had. They even stated the patient's name, saying all these terrible things and making nasty jokes. A manager from a unit must have heard and sent an e-mail to all the post-secondary schools in my city. So the professor reminded all the nursing students to remember to stay professional and maintain patient confidentiality... because who knows who might be in the elevator instead..it could even be the family member of the patient.

I understand that we all forget sometimes. As nurses, we like to talk about nursing things which i think is completely acceptable as long as we don't reveal any names. But i think making nasty jokes in front of others is a big no no. I could never see myself in that situation as the first things i ever learned was be professional and maintain patient confidentiality outside of the unit. In the city that i live in, majority of the nursing students are quite young (19-22-ish years old)..like me (I am 3 1/2 years in the nursing program). Anyhow, this made me think of how sometimes nursing students are perceived. I kind of realized now that maybe some people don't take the 'young' nursing students seriously because situations like this and the maturity level. With that in mind, it makes it tougher for young nursing students to try and fit in and prove that they will be good nurses. Which is quite unfortunate as i know sure many of us would not want to be in the situation either! What do you guys think? Have you heard of similar situations? :)

[brokenroads27]

we're constantly reminded to keep hipaa in mind when we're at clinical and in school. i constantly talk about the patients i've had, but i NEVER ever mention their names to anyone. even when we discuss how our days went after the clinical day is over with our instructor i usually just say "i had a 51 year old female" not their names. and also, what students are dumb enough to talk about their patients in the elevator, when other people are in there? seriously, that has to be the dumbest thing ever, like think before you speak. i understand its very easy to let things "slip" sometimes but to make nasty jokes and stuff....maybe those girls should re-think their chosen profession. im in a class full of people that are considerably older than i am, and i know im looked at like i am the immature one in the class because i am the "baby" but i learned to keep my mouth shut. lol i just rambled on and on and im not even sure i answered your question!

[CBsMommy]

I don't think people will look at you in any particular way unless you give them a reason to. If you are professional, then most people will think of you as a professional nursing student, young or old.

I've been at some clinical sites where nurses have looked at me like I'm something on the bottom of their shoe, just because I'm a student nurse. I politely tell them who I am, what patient I'm assigned to, the tasks that I'm assigned to complete and that I will stay out of their way as much as possible but that I'm here for anything they may need. It's like being a guest in someone's house...you just don't go barging around and being rude.

What those student nurses did was beyond unprofessional. But unless you engage in these behaviors (which it doesn't sound like you will) no one would have any reason to lump you in with these people.

[iiliana]

Yeah i definitely agree. I am not even sure which school they came from, but it definitely affects the school's reputation as well. I just thought i post this to create discussion :)

[elkpark]

As nurses, we like to talk about nursing things which i think is completely acceptable as long as we don't reveal any names.

It is safest and most appropriate to just not talk about clients in public areas at all. Even if you don't use names, you have no idea who the people in the elevator with you, or at the next table in the hospital cafeteria, are and other details you reveal about a client in the course of your conversation may be sufficient for them to figure out who you are talking about -- or, at least, think they know who you're talking about -- and, if they are family members, take offense and make a complaint. Even if you are not speaking disrespectfully about someone, people have an expectation of privacy when they come into the healthcare system and don't expect their healthcare providers to be spreading information about them who-knows-where to who-knows-who.

Confidentiality means a lot more than just not using clients' names when you're discussing them with others in public ...

[iiliana]

sorry, what i meant was when patients are talked about a patient in assignments, papers or case-study presentations without revealing thier names. in these intances, it has to be acceptable as it is school-related and we have to disscuss it in front of others or with your professor. but i agree, any other situation it is unacceptable.