Breach of my confidentiality by unknown nurse-advice PLEASE!

NeuroICURN · Sep 16, 2004

I would be very angry too! Your privacy was violated....no other way to say it! If that nurse truly was concerned for your well being, then she should have come to you or your husband.

The question is.....are you angry enough that you want to press the issue to find out the nurse's name and report a HIPPA violation? If not, then perhaps you could find out who it was and have a private talk with her.

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Sep 16, 2004

I did tell one neighbor and I should have known nothing is private in our cul-de-sac

I think you nailed the culprit. Much easier to blame some faceless, nameless nurse than for your neighbor to admit she shared private information.

However, I truly sympathize because I've recently experienced this situation myself. I was completely blindsided when an acquaintance asked me when I was having my procedure while I was shopping one afternoon, and offered to help me carry my groceries.

The only problem was that I didn't need any help, and the way she offered made it look like I was an invalid--in other words, instead of feeling grateful for the offer, I was quite offended and humiliated.

Turns out that the person who shared my information was my husband.

So to answer your original question, what I would do is exactly what I did. I'd somehow convey the message that you'd rather not discuss it, and change the subject, because however well-meaning your neighbors and friends might be, it was rude to presume that you wanted all this private information shared so freely.

If it really was a nurse who blabbed, I would have to agree with previous posters who suggested reporting her--if indeed she can be found. But my guess is that it was the neighbor you spoke to, covering her tracks.

Mantibob · Sep 16, 2004

This is a clear cut HIPAA Violation. If you reported her to the HIPAA officer you would totally be within your right to do so. If you want to be nice you could speak to her and let her know of your concerns. If she seems sorry and admits to making a mistake than you could let it lie. If she is unrepentant - report her! Maybe she would learn a lesson and not continue this behavior in the future.

In any case I am sorry you had to go thru this. I hope it all works out for the best in the end.

I had a medical procedure done last month. I'm kinda private about myself so I didn't tell my closely-knit cul-de-sac neighbors. My husband told me tonight that our neighbor asked how I was doing after my procedure because a nurse we both know had asked him. I asked my husband why he didn't ask our neighbor the name of the nurse and he said he had the impression that our neighbor didn't want to tell him. But maybe he misinterpreted the impression our neighbor was giving. I can't think of what nurse knows myself and our neighbor.
Anyways, I'm reallly mad!!!! I don't mind our neighbor knowing (cause I did tell one neighbor and I should have known nothing is private in our cul-de-sac), but I'm upset that a nurse would breach this confidentiality. She also told our neighbor what procedure I had done! What would you do?

RN92 · Sep 16, 2004

It could have been an aide or any other person that calls themselves nurses in the hospital. (you know how people refer to everyone in a uniform "a nurse".) I would try to run into this neighbor again and just mention in a non-confrontational way - that your husband told you he had asked about you. Tell him how you're doing and in the conversation just ask him who told him. Make it seem very friendly, light conversation. Do you have mutual friends who are nurses? If so..just say something like - Mary must have told you. For all you know, he could have a scanner at home and listened to your conversations on the phone. You really dont know where he got his information. Its very hard to believe a nurse would have done this. If it was a nurse, then she definitely should have to answer to you.

LadyMadonna · Sep 16, 2004

I don't like people knowing my business either but I figure there are more things worth getting upset over. It's amazing how things travel through the grapevine. At the nursing home where I work you tell one person you may as well have gotten on the loud speaker and told the whole facility, because what you told that one person will get back to you in a lot of different versions.

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Sep 16, 2004

Why are we so offended when people show they actually care?

If we actually lived in tight spaces in which we heard every comment we would focus on something else.

jackson · Sep 16, 2004

Why are we so offended when people show they actually care?
If we actually lived in tight spaces in which we heard every comment we would fo cus on something else.

I'm not offended at all when someone shows they care about me. I'm just upset a nurse has breached HIPPA. It's just not right!!! Especially when it's a neighbor!

hoolahan, ASN, RN · Sep 16, 2004

Why are we so offended when people show they actually care?
If we actually lived in tight spaces in which we heard every comment we would focus on something else.

First of all, if a person cares about you, they ask YOU how you are, call you, send a card, etc...not snoop through other people, unless they say "Tell so and so Lindsa said Hi."

Second of all, you are comparing a different "culture" to her "culture." The first thing she did in her post was identify herself as "a private person", and as such, and as the patient in that instance, it is inappropriate to disrespect her wishes.

Not to mention illegal in the US to share PHI.

I do see what you mean though, when I case managed in home health, I had one senior building, and every patient who went on service was mine to case manage. It threw me at first at how people would outright ask if I was George's nurse and how is he, and what is wrong with him? But after a while of working there, I realized these folks spent time together, and they all also compared notes on me! So, I did loosen up a bit, but I still would never tell them what procedure someone was having unless they specifically said did she have her GB out after all, which implied they had some knowledge of what was going on. Because in that place, it was like Peyton Place, everyone knew everyone else business.

BUT, clearly, that is not the case here. If this person cared about her, and openly contacted her, I am sure she wouldn't feel like her personal information was shared.

I am 51% leaning towards hubby being the actual culprit.

bam_bam · Sep 16, 2004

I would probably report it. Myself, if I have a patient who is a mutual friend or acquantence, like your scenario, I would ask them if it were ok to ask the mutual acquantence about them.

jackson · Sep 16, 2004

First of all, if a person cares about you, they ask YOU how you are, call you, send a card, etc...not snoop through other people, unless they say "Tell so and so Lindsa said Hi."
Second of all, you are comparing a different "culture" to her "culture." The first thing she did in her post was identify herself as "a private person", and as such, and as the patient in that instance, it is inappropriate to disrespect her wishes.
Not to mention illegal in the US to share PHI.
I do see what you mean though, when I case managed in home health, I had one senior building, and every patient who went on service was mine to case manage. It threw me at first at how people would outright ask if I was George's nurse and how is he, and what is wrong with him? But after a while of working there, I realized these folks spent time together, and they all also compared notes on me! So, I did loosen up a bit, but I still would never tell them what procedure someone was having unless they specifically said did she have her GB out after all, which implied they had some knowledge of what was going on. Because in that place, it was like Peyton Place, everyone knew everyone else business.
BUT, clearly, that is not the case here. If this person cared about her, and openly contacted her, I am sure she wouldn't feel like her personal information was shared.
I am 51% leaning towards hubby being the actual culprit.

How so?

jackson · Sep 16, 2004

How so?

I mean how could my husband be the culprit? The neighbor came to him and asked him, then he told me about it tonight!