Can I lose my license over this?

Nurses General Nursing

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Mortaaaay

26 Posts

she was kind of far from me- she just looked me in the eyes and looked away- i don't even know if she recognized me cause i was wearing my glasses and had my hair down and was wearing makeup

Crash_Cart

446 Posts

Specializes in ER OR LTC Code Blue Trauma Dog.
42 minutes ago, JBMmom said:

While you were in public and didn't violate any patient privacy laws specifically, you might consider keeping private conversations more private in the future.

I think that pretty much sums it up. Be cognizant of your surroundings as they say.

Mortaaaay

26 Posts

2 minutes ago, Crash_Cart said:

I think that pretty much sums it up. Be cognizant of your surroundings as they say.

True, but I could have been talking about anyone- my mom and I were discussing end of life care because of her friends mom and an accident she had. I wasn't in the store when i mentioned I knew someone like that- I could have just been talking about a story of my moms friend. The patient's of the family member I saw is not on life support- she is not intubation or braindead in any way.

Crash_Cart

446 Posts

Specializes in ER OR LTC Code Blue Trauma Dog.
1 minute ago, Mortaaaay said:

True, but I could have been talking about anyone- my mom and I were discussing end of life care because of her friends mom and an accident she had. I wasn't in the store when i mentioned I knew someone like that- I could have just been talking about a story of my moms friend. The patient's of the family member I saw is not on life support- she is not intubation or braindead in any way.

You could also have been talking to someone on the phone about a fictional situation occurring in the latest episode of any popular medical TV show.

caliotter3

38,333 Posts

1 hour ago, Sour Lemon said:

You can get fired if someone doesn't like your hair cut, or for no reason at all ...so, yes.

And you can also be let go because the employer has decided upon a reduction in the workforce and you won the lotto. Try to be more careful about what you say in certain places in the future.

MSO4foru, ADN

111 Posts

Specializes in Hospice Home Care and Inpatient.

So call me paranoid if you want, but any conversations I have that are even remotely connected tend to my work are done at home, without any specific identifiers. Maybe that's just me. But as Sour Lemon pointed out - your employer can fire you for anything.

Mortaaaay

26 Posts

Just now, MSO4foru said:

So call me paranoid if you want, but any conversations I have that are even remotely connected tend to my work are done at home, without any specific identifiers. Maybe that's just me. But as Sour Lemon pointed out - your employer can fire you for anything.

True. But it honestly was in relation to my moms friend

rn1965, ADN

514 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg, Women's Health, LTC.
10 hours ago, Mortaaaay said:

she was kind of far from me- she just looked me in the eyes and looked away- i don't even know if she recognized me cause i was wearing my glasses and had my hair down and was wearing makeup

IMO, because you were dressed differently (hair/glasses/makeup), there is a real possibility that the daughter was looking at you because she thought, "hey, she looks familiar". There is also a possibility that she did not hear a thing you said.

I honestly do not think this is a firing offense.

Specializes in Mental Health.
11 hours ago, Mortaaaay said:

True, but I could have been talking about anyone- my mom and I were discussing end of life care because of her friends mom and an accident she had. I wasn't in the store when i mentioned I knew someone like that- I could have just been talking about a story of my moms friend. The patient's of the family member I saw is not on life support- she is not intubation or braindead in any way.

I hope you are better at handoff than you are at story telling ? Seriously though if your patients relative isn’t even brain dead why on earth would she think you’re talking about them?

1. Can she get offended?

Of course she can get offended. People get offended over less. It's what she does with her feelings of being offended.

2. Can I get fired over this?

Eh. So many variables. #1, maybe she wasn't listening or paying attention. #2, she can't prove it. I'd tread lightly around her when she see her on the unit. And hey, no matter what happens, this is a good lesson/reminder that you just never know who's around you when you're out and about in public. ? I hope it all works out.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN

5,879 Posts

Your thread title asks if you can lose your license for your conversation, but your actual post asks if you can be fired.

Secondly, exactly what did you say that was offensive????

You aren't losing your license over this. Look at your BON site or newsletter and see why people are losing their licenses. "While speaking to a family member in public, out of uniform, and not on the clock, verbalized her preferences for her own end of life care" will NOT be found. I also see no reason why this should result in your being fired.

Call me confused about the whole issue here...

Specializes in Retired.

It's just not a conversation to have in a mall. If you don't want extraordinary measures, then download your paperwork and get it submitted to the parties involved.

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