Closed face book account with photos of patient & comments

Nurses HIPAA

Published

I don't even know the best way to begin this. It is without a doubt the most bizarre nursing related thing I've ever heard.

I have a "liked" face book page to a Native American page. The page generally consists of updates on the tribe that my father & grandparents were members of. Well, yesterday there was quite a bit more. Initially I thought it must be a hoax. I couldn't imagine any nurse creating a face book page titled "Did You Know This Alcoholic Indian?" I spent hours looking up more information on it, & it appears to be true. The page has since been deleted by face book, but pages were copied by by an activist group, & the city of Chicago fire department was contacted & responded. (It appears that most of the nurses, EMT's & Paramedics commenting on the page were not employed by the city of Chicago).

The nurse who created the page posted photos of the patient, some while he was apparently in the hospital. Also, questions were asked (the page was public) including "What was the strangest place you saw him?"

So, nurses who've been employed in just about any area of nursing for longer than a year must have been through a state survey, where HIPPA is a big part of the survey. Every time with only 1 exception, was, well, "RED ALERT! ALL SHIELDS UP!" With all of the managers freaking out & getting underfoot.. If you've been through it you know what I'm talking about.

This man has since passed away. Apparently the nurse who created the page responded to one of the activists that she lived in a country where her freedom of speech was protected. That, I haven't been able to verify.

I'm absolutely flummoxed by this. Any thoughts on ramifications for doing this?

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Lord, how I wish this was the first such incident like that I've been made aware of. The most recent a few days ago involving a cellphone picture of a patient shown to others for their twisted idea of entertainment. You don't need to wait for the state surveyors to come by. Most of the prior cases ended up with the person who did it being fired immediately. Why are people so cruel? I know. Rhetorical question.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
i don't even know the best way to begin this. it is without a doubt the most bizarre nursing related thing i've ever heard.

i have a "liked" face book page to a native american page. the page generally consists of updates on the tribe that my father & grandparents were members of. well, yesterday there was quite a bit more. initially i thought it must be a hoax. i couldn't imagine any nurse creating a face book page titled "did you know this alcoholic indian?" i spent hours looking up more information on it, & it appears to be true. the page has since been deleted by face book, but pages were copied by by an activist group, & the city of chicago fire department was contacted & responded. (it appears that most of the nurses, emts & paramedics commenting on the page were not employed by the city of chicago).

the nurse who created the page posted photos of the patient, some while he was apparently in the hospital. also, questions were asked (the page was public) including "what was the strangest place you saw him?"

so, nurses who've been employed in just about any area of nursing for longer than a year must have been through a state survey, where hippa is a big part of the survey. every time with only 1 exception, was, well, "red alert! all shields up!" with all of the managers freaking out & getting underfoot.. if you've been through it you know what i'm talking about.

this man has since passed away. apparently the nurse who created the page responded to one of the activists that she lived in a country where her freedom of speech was protected. that, i haven't been able to verify.

i'm absolutely flummoxed by this. any thoughts on ramifications for doing this?

first and i just can't help myself. it's hipaa not hippa......there i feel better.

i sit here an i shake my head in disbelief. i cannot believe that anyone in their right mind would think this is ok. this was a couple of years ago i thought......the patient died in 2006 and the page occurred after his death. i am ever baffled that anyone in their right mind find this stuff of. the "anonymous" nature of the internet is clouding our sense of right and wrong and replacing just plain common courtesy and common sense.

:no: it just flat out baffles me.

this particular area had a rash of issues at that time......i heard many we disciplined. some had their licenses suspended. many lost their jobs. i know fines were paid for violations but how much i am not sure. how reliable this is i have no idea i still talk to friends back in chicago. i know at the time they were claiming that because the patient was deceased there was no violation which is hogwash.

let me google that for you ( i use this as an engine...it's funnya s heck and give great results.)

chicago indymedia: chicago's staff infection

[color=#ee0505]rescue workers of city of chicago on facebook involved 600

these people are professionals - natives against racism

anyone participating if found guilty would be subject to loss of licensure, fines and prosecution.....let alone the civil trial for damages.

hipaa home study ce-what rns need to know - part one

hipaa home study ce-what rns need to know - part two

courtesy of herring rn......ceus expired but it is very informative.

just as unbelievable the second time i heard thia as the first ime i heard about this....i am repulsed by their behavior.

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Thanks for the replies (& the correction too!). I didn't post the links because, well, I guess I was afraid of being accused of trying to "politicize" the situation. I know that this happened in 2006, but the man's brother was just recently speaking out on it. The Native site (Yankton Sioux; Lake Andes South Dakota..on face book) posted that they "wished that there were more nurses like me". That just felt like a punch to the midsection. I wonder if anyone had a license suspension, or at least, disciplinary action taken. I wish there was a way to find out. It's really disturbing me so much to have people think that these people aren't in the minority, and in any way to be associated with them.

The family & supporters are saying it's racism, & I certainly thought it was pretty blatant. But it's the nursing connection that's just killing me here.

Has anyone heard if there were any disciplinary actions taken?

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Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

I tried on this excellent resource to find out whether there was a conviction regarding this but could not.

Health Information Privacy

14 years ago I gave textbooks and other assistance to a single mother attending an associate degree RN progrm on a South Dakota reservation.

Upon graduation she moved to Chicago and took her boards in Illinois.

We now send each other a card every year.

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Thanks so much for the excellent links. You guys are great. This site and feed back from other nurses makes it easier to deal with troubling things like this. I'm grateful you are here.

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