Car or Public Transport

Specialties Private Duty

Published

Hi everyone,

Im just curious.

Since Private duty nursing doesnt require multiple visiting patients, is it acceptable or convenient to use a public transport (bus or train) in traveling to your patient's residents ?

I would like any feedbacks. thanks

A person's home address is public information. I can look up any address online and find out who lives at any given address (if they own the property).

That has nothing to do with the privacy of medical information.

I'd say the talking nurse is definitely in violation of hipaa, but not simply pulling up in front of any given address.

Based on how much nurses have told me about other cases, I find it highly unlikely that the nurse has never said to her partner/friend "oh, tonight I work with a baby that was born at 24 weeks and is on a ventilator" or "I have the hardest case with an unstable vent kid that was beaten by her birth parents" or whatever.

And for that reason I have an issue because now they have the address, the name, sometimes the phone number (depends how good they are on the internet) and some health information.

Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.
Based on how much nurses have told me about other cases, I find it highly unlikely that the nurse has never said to her partner/friend "oh, tonight I work with a baby that was born at 24 weeks and is on a ventilator" or "I have the hardest case with an unstable vent kid that was beaten by her birth parents" or whatever.

And for that reason I have an issue because now they have the address, the name, sometimes the phone number (depends how good they are on the internet) and some health information.

I can see that. But many nurses have multiple cases, so seeing where one lives wouldn't specify. If I were a parent, I think I would have to really know the nurse before I'd allow them to have another person drive then. But as I said above, if I really needed coverage to avoid missing work and losing my job, I'd give in a little. Tough choice for the parent for sure!

One case,the nurse's boyfriend was dropping her off.

Well,one day nurse's boyfriend came looking for her at the home,and she wasn't there.

I guess that's the Hippa violation?

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
One casethe nurse's boyfriend was dropping her off. Well,one day nurse's boyfriend came looking for her at the home,and she wasn't there. I guess that's the Hippa violation?[/quote']

Are you referring to the AZ case? She left her boyfriend. & child in the car while doing a skilled nursing visit. The boyfriend came to the door asking to use the bathroom. This wasn't a PDN and she had multiple other issues.

A person's home address is public information. I can look up any address online and find out who lives at any given address (if they own the property).

That has nothing to do with the privacy of medical information.

I'd say the talking nurse is definitely in violation of hipaa, but not simply pulling up in front of any given address.

I disagree with your assessment. Addresses are public knowledge. Any criminal could drive around town looking for a house to break into. But what happens when someone shady drops off your nurse and they already know that the house is filled with morphine/valium/dilaudid?

I would much rather that a nurse talk about how cute my kid is or what skills she has to use with my kid or how my kid has this super rare diagnosis or whatever than for someone that is unknown to me to know where she is working and that my house is filled with drugs.

Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.

I've always wondered if the o2 signs on the homes give too much info. They are great when going to a new case when the homes don't have numbers. But most people don't put them up unless they are made to....usually by an agency. So that even gives the general public enough info that there could be drugs or a disabled person who would be an easy target in the home. But I guess it depends on how far you take it.

I've had friends see my car before while I was at work. Unintentional, but if a patient is on a main road or short cut, it happens. My car has no bumper stickers or identifying stuff other than the plate. But it's not a hipaa violation since they don't have identifying info.

I disagree with your assessment. Addresses are public knowledge. Any criminal could drive around town looking for a house to break into. But what happens when someone shady drops off your nurse and they already know that the house is filled with morphine/valium/dilaudid?

I would much rather that a nurse talk about how cute my kid is or what skills she has to use with my kid or how my kid has this super rare diagnosis or whatever than for someone that is unknown to me to know where she is working and that my house is filled with drugs.

I still say the violation is the nurse sharing patient info and not her her being dropped off at a house.

How would anyone know there are drugs inside if the nurse didn't divulge that information?

Of course, hipaa violation or not, a patient or parent always has the right to refuse certain nurses for whatever reason, even how they arrive at work.

My husband had to take me to work one night when our other vehicle broke down. I can't imagine the family would prefer that I stay off work rather than get their by alternate means.

The truth is that we all take risks when we allow people to come to and in our homes, whether it be the pizza delivery man, a maid, nanny, plumber, or a nurse.

The maid could find my (hypothetical) stash of prescription pain pills and share that info with others.

We all need to be vigilant and cautious regarding people we do not know well. I just think it is a separate issue from hipaa.

I still say the violation is the nurse sharing patient info and not her her being dropped off at a house.

How would anyone know there are drugs inside if the nurse didn't divulge that information?

Now I am curious how many nurses here can say that they have never told another person a single thing about any patient that when paired with the address would not be a HIPAA violation?

How many nurses already give out the address of where they are going to a spouse/family member for their own safety?

Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.

Now I am curious how many nurses here can say that they have never told another person a single thing about any patient that when paired with the address would not be a HIPAA violation?

How many nurses already give out the address of where they are going to a spouse/family member for their own safety?

It has to be identifiable info. To say a kid with CP with address info or a trach/vent case with address wouldn't identify them. To live in a small town with one child with down syndrome that everyone knows, would be a violation if you said you cared for a kid with downs.

I don't give out the address. But a few people have a code they can send my phone to locate me by GPS if they haven't heard from me...that's after they've tried calling or texting. My employer has the address (obviously), so they could be contacted as well to have someone check on me.

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