can you get fire

It will depend on the employer, but yes, it could be grounds for termination. You must NEVER go into someone else's chart unless you are assigned to care for that patient.

Even tho its her son? Yea now she regrets looking at her sons chart because she doesn't want to loose her dream job at kaiser. . Can the union rep help her?

Even tho its her son? Yea now she regrets looking at her sons chart because she doesn't want to loose her dream job at kaiser. . Can the union rep help her?

Yes. Even if it was her own chart, it doesn't matter. Anytime you go into a pts chart and you are not giving care, it's a HIPAA violation. They maybe more lenient because it is her family, or they may make an example out of her and fire her. All depends on her work history.

There is protocols in order to get copies of her sons charts. So.. Not sure why she did it this way but it is not okay and she could get fired.

I'm sorry to hear that about your friend. Unfortunately, yes, it is a violation since she was not directly involved in her son's care. Now it is up to her hospital policy if she will get fired, reported to the board, etc.

Yes. My employer has the policy that we can't even access OUR OWN chart using our employee username and password. We have to go through the proper channels, same as if we were not an employee. Your friend likewise, was not in the chart in her authorized capacity; she was using the username and password that she was given to access the charts *for her own patients.* Parents or anybody can't just log onto the computer and look...just like if there's paper charting, they can't just pick up the binder off the nursing desk and read it. They have to fill out a request for the medical record through the hospital's records dept.

Fired. As well she should be. No way this wasn't covered when she was hired. If she can't follow simple instructions, this is what she deserves. Sorry for the harshness, but come on

Even tho its her son? Yea now she regrets looking at her sons chart because she doesn't want to loose her dream job at kaiser. . Can the union rep help her?

YES, even though it's her son. Heck, even if it was HER chart. Why didn't she call Grandma and ask about meds? Or the Dr? Really a bad move. And it's HIPAA

Agreed with everyone else above. HIPPA is very specific and is in place to protect patient's privacy. Since your friend is a medical assistant and has access to patient's PHI, she undoubtedly went through some type of HIPPA training and she should absolutely know better. She's fortunate she doesn't work at the facility I work at because she would have been fired on the spot, do not pass go, do not collect $200.

Let me pose this to you - how would you feel if your friend was curious about you and decided to look at your medical chart? If you're like 99.9% of people, you would probably feel like your privacy was violated.