Clinical Instructor

[Guest1204365]

I just need some advice regarding my daughter, who is currently in nursing school.  She was at her clinical rotation when she received a finger stick injury.  Her nurse had her wash her hands and then it was reported to the charge on the floor.  My daughter then messaged her instructor to let her know about the incident.  When the instructor got to the floor she became extremely upset and started slamming things down yelling at my daughter stating she should've contacted her immediately.  She was extremely rude, so much so, the charge and her nurse stated she was behaving very unprofessionally.  My daughter was so upset she went to the bathroom and just cried as she was utterly humiliated in front of so many individuals.

At post conference, all the students were talking about their day, when her instructor suddenly turned to my daughter and told all her fellow students that she had received a finger stick injury.  The instructor then got up and said conference was over and excused the class.  Once again, she felt utterly humiliated.  I am so angry I don't know what to do.  My daughter said she would email her instructor tomorrow to talk to her about what happened.

What I would like to know is if this instructor violated HIPAA by telling the class what happened and the various labs she had drawn.  I also think the dean should be made aware of the instructors unprofessional behavior as this makes her teaching institution look really bad.  I am trying to stay out of this and allow my daughter to handle it, I'm just looking for a little guidance.

P.S. The nurse who was working with my daughter gave her her phone number just in case she needed someone to collaborate her story.

[RN_SummerSeas, MSN, APRN, NP]

I am not sure what you are all talking about, her PHI was absolutely disclosed without her permission. Being a student in nursing school doesn't mean your personal health-no matter where it happened-is fodder for rude instructors. 
before anyone jumps down my throat, I was in this exact situation myself. In RN school I had that instructor for 2 semesters and she was a mean old coot. I took her BS for a while until she started to get really bad, then I reported her. To the program, to the school and with her ultimately to the police because she laid hands on me. She ruined nursing school for me. After a lot of meetings and discussion and more meetings I was put with another amazing instructor for the final 2 clinical semesters and it was night and day. That instructor had a complete change on her behavior and some role changes. Your daughter will be a much better patient advocate once she has learned to advocate for herself..
Contrary to popular belief, we don't need to take poor behavior from other nurses because "that's how it's always been done". Time to break down that disgusting outdated barrier. Have nurses eat their young how about nurses support their young? I am a family nurse practitioner now, and throughout my career I have always ensured that those I precepted had a good experience and explained to them what they should not be dealing with since so many nurses are still stuck back in the olden days.

 

 

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Another unpopular opinion.  "Nurses Eat Their Young" is a vile phrase that should be retired. 

But someone's going to chime in with their personal experience about nurses eat their young.

Roll call:  Who here eat's they're young?  Anyone?  It's always someone else and never you.

[feelix, RN]

Releasing unauthorized student information is a FERPA violation, not HIPAA. Those getting defensive at the question may be guilty themselves. Modern nursing education theory leans away from the concept of monster educator. We will keep eating our young till nursing educators lead by example.

One of the biggest fears of a healthcare worker is to acquire a life-threatening disease via a needle stick. This incident should have been dealt with in a more humane way.

The instructor seemed to be more upset due to the extra paper work the incident would have generated, rather than the student's wellbeing. Would she have thrown the same tantrum if the student was visibly injured?

is it OK for a hcare worker to lose their calm and throw tantrums in an emergency?

Is it OK to treat an injured student like a violator?

Is it OK to break FERPA privacy laws?

Is it OK to humiliate a student for any reason at all?

At my school the dean would have received a complaint right away, with a follow up with the Chancellor if the dean failed to take action.

By all means go all the way and pursue this. Get a lawyer involved if nobody helps. You will be doing nursing a service.

[klone, MSN, RN]

RN_SummerSeas said:

I am not sure what you are all talking about, her PHI was absolutely disclosed without her permission.

Nobody is claiming that PHI was not disclosed. We are saying that the instructor did not violate any HIPAA laws.

 

feelix said:

Releasing unauthorized student information is a FERPA violation, not HIPAA.

The information that the instructor disclosed does not fall under FERPA. Only 2 types of protected information fall under the purview of FERPA, and "Jane got a needle stick during her clinical rotation" is not one of them. Now, if the instructor had said "Jane got a needle stick during her clinical rotation, so she will be getting a failing grade this semester" - THAT would have been a FERPA violation.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

Tweety said:

Another unpopular opinion.  "Nurses Eat Their Young" is a vile phrase that should be retired. 

But someone's going to chime in with their personal experience about nurses eat their young.

Roll call:  Who here eat's they're young?  Anyone?  It's always someone else and never you.

I used to, but one gave me food poisoning ? ?  just kidding. I wish the saying would retire as well. There are bullies in every profession under the sun, its not limited to nursing

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

feelix said:

Releasing unauthorized student information is a FERPA violation, not HIPAA. Those getting defensive at the question may be guilty themselves. Modern nursing education theory leans away from the concept of monster educator. We will keep eating our young till nursing educators lead by example.

One of the biggest fears of a healthcare worker is to acquire a life-threatening disease via a needle stick. This incident should have been dealt with in a more humane way.

The instructor seemed to be more upset due to the extra paper work the incident would have generated, rather than the student's wellbeing

Here's the deal: OP wasn't there, they got it 2nd hand from their daughter who was upset, and some things may have been blown out of proportion if daughter is the extra sensitive sort. None of us were there,  it's very easy to pass judgment, one way or another. The daughter has already discussed the situation via email, so hopefully that has produced the desired resolution

[feelix, RN]

Hoosier_RN said:

  There are bullies in every profession under the sun, its not limited to nursing

Quote



Bullies outside of healthcare are quickly taken to task and shown the door. It is in healthcare where doctors and nurses go around with fangs drawn and are rewarded for doing so.

We have a toxic culture of dog eat dog, where we trivialize the emotions of a victim by calling them over sensitive.

 

[Wuzzie]

feelix said:

Bullies outside of healthcare are quickly taken to task and shown the door.

Really? You should talk to some of my teacher friends. 

[feelix, RN]

Wuzzie said:

Really? You should talk to some of my teacher friends. 

Again you are talking about a very similar work environment with too many people on a power trip. I am talking about the corporate environment.

[Wuzzie]

feelix said:

Again you are talking about a very similar work environment with too many people on a power trip. I am talking about the corporate environment.

OK, talk to my corporate friends then. It's everywhere.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

feelix said:

 

You should talk to some of my friends that are lawyers, IT, real estate, and very upper tier management and their underlings at large companies. You are dreaming if you think it doesn't go on everywhere, and usually very unchecked. 

While it's never okay to be outright disrespectful, it's not okay to expect everyone to walk on eggshells to protect someone else's feelings. No one persons feelings are more important than another person's

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

Hoosier_RN said:

Duplicate