Background Check ran on Dementia Resident

[yadda_yadda_yadda, LPN, LVN]

First, let me say that I feel safe posting this message here..and have always been able to "feel the love" on this site.:icon_hug:

I work long-term care, with Alzheimer's Dementia residents. Recently, the charge nurse went to a site that offers detailed background checks for a fee (the more you're willing to pay, supposedly the more information you have access to)

Well, we have a resident with advanced dementia that often makes sexualized remarks (some are quite alarming--but that is often the case with dementia)

This nurse logged on to a background check web-site, entered the resident's name/DOB & proceeded to pay ~ $75 for a detailed report (28 pages or so) ---" to find out if the resident was a pedophile or sex offender":typing

This nurse later talked openly about running this report, having charged it to a credit card while on the company computer, then went on & on about everything in the lengthy report-- including the value of his home, all of his financial assets, a history of charitable contributions he & his wife had made...even details of a death certificate from a son who had died years ago.---

This alarmed me on many levels:

1) She apparently has a LOT of free time while clocked in on company time

2) She's got some money burning a hole in her pocket

3) HIPAA...isn't this some type of violation?

Even though the information is "out there for the taking", thanks to the Internet, aren't there ethical issues here, with this nurse being directly involved in care?--and What about the rapport the facility is supposed to have with the spouse & family?

(I don't know how this nurse can even look the family in the eye after this):chair: I, personally, cannot imagine how the family would feel if they were to ever learn of this. (I'd be appalled if I were them)

Another staff member & I brought it to the attention of management....only to be told that they "saw no problem with running a background check, but in the future, they had requested that such inquiries be addressed by administration"

The 10 or so employees that heard the chatter from the one obtaining the report are baffled.

Have any of you guys ever heard of such a thing?

My thoughts on it are this:

First, we have access to the admission & personal history paperwork in the medical record. The spouse/family of patients are available to provide any information truly needed to have a better understanding of the resident/provide better care, etc.

If any patient of mine has commited a crime, they've paid their debt to society & I am responsible for providing care. Period.

Judge & jury aren't part of my job desciption. (I worked 5 years in Corrections, so I've been around all types)

I just had to vent this. It leaves me totally baffled that anyone would have such a morbid curiousity & go to such extremes..talk about it...and think that there's nothing wrong with their actions.

Thank you for listening.:icon_hug:

[oramar]

Yikes, I wouldn't do a thing like that and I certainly wouldn't do it from a company computer and I especially wouldn't go bragging around about it. I think she is asking for trouble.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I don't know about HIPPA, but that goes above and beyond what she needs to know to take care of the resident.

There are plenty of public sites to see if he's a known sex offender.

To me she violated this residents privacy and ethically it's wrong.

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

It's a clear case of a HIPAA violation.

She too private information that she had access to, that was only made available to her as a healthcare worker at that facility, and she was not authorized to give that information to an uninterested party to satisfy her own curiosity.

She can not only be sued, she SHOULD be fired and her license could be at risk

This is the very thing, that HIPAA was designed to prevent.

She needs to be reported b/c if she is doing it to one resident, she is probably doing it with others.

[caliotter3]

At just about any time someone could overhear this info and take steps against the nurse and the facility that neither would find pleasant. I've worked in places where employees would make calls to families and others to "report" on incidents. One or more of those people would have had a party with this situation. Management is just as much to blame, because they have not addressed this with the offending party. I would feel uncomfortable because if one person is complained about, all employees could be complained about. I wouldn't want to be painted with the same brush.

[kss0740]

That is outrageously unethical! Something is seriously wrong with this person. I'm sure what was done is a violation of policy where you work. If you elevated it to management, you have carried out your responsibilities. If you have further questions, I'd consult your ethics board (whoever that is in your state) to see if any further action is warranted.

[ozoneranger]

Karma ought to pay for this rotton individuals personal information & post it all over town......

I mean, it's, like....ok.....ain't it?

[LesMonsterRN, ADN, RN]

There is no reason on earth why this nurse should have that information. The resident's past has no bearing on the care he should be receiving in the present, so it is none of this nurse's business. All we should be entitled to know is that information which allows us to provide the best care we can and to care without judging. Hopefully she's sung loud enough that the powers that be will know about it soon and take care of it, as in (in my opinion) letting her go. Absolutely wrong on her part.

[Candyheart]

She did this at work? I can't believe she would think this would be helpful in any way. If you found out he was a terrible person, would it help in his care? Your job as a nurse is to care for someone, not to judge them. I think if the family found out they would raise a riot with the management. In my facility, that would probably happen. What is the management thinking allowing this liability.

[Valerie Salva, BSN, RN]

This chick is just weird, imo.

[swirlygirl]

Wow! I can't believe management said that there was no problem with it! At the hospital I work, we would be fired so fast, our heads would spin. On our computers, nurses don't even have access to our patient's work history.

[lpnflorida]

It is wrong on too many levels for me to make any orginal thoughts/comments on the subject. Sounds like management gave a vey quiet slap on the wrist.