Confidentiality Pt HIV Status disclosed to a taxi driver

[simont]

hi my first post!!!

i am just starting nursing in Sheffield uk in september

i was working in a hospital in the uk as a admin assistnant. i recived an incident form from the nursing manager and it was reported that a PT that had been transfered to the hopsital i was at and had come form another hopital at the other hospital the nurse that booked the Taxi to bring him to my hospital (my department) had told the taxi driver that the PT was coming to our hopital for treatment of his HIV!!!!! I just coundnt believe that she had told him. due to the job i was in i had to phone her hospital and report her to the manager. the taxi driver then refused totake the PT

[XB9S, BSN, MSN, EdD, RN, APN]

Wow, that is a serious breech of confidentiality and I would imagine that if the nurse who had done this is qualified she will be investigated and referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council for investigation.

Having said that, I don't understand why it was left to you to report this to the other hospital management. This is a professional issue and as such would have been something I would have handled myself rather than leave it to an administration assistant to have to deal with

We always use hospital transport for inter hospital transfers rather than relying on Taxi drivers.

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

I had a hard time understanding your post. Is a taxi an ambulance or an actual taxi? I'm genuinley curious about how policy works when it comes to confidentiality. Don't all medical personel (EMS) have a right to know a persons HIV status? Or are we talking about an actual taxi driver given this sensitive information?

[simont]

I had a hard time understanding your post. Is a taxi an ambulance or an actual taxi? I'm genuinley curious about how policy works when it comes to confidentiality. Don't all medical personel (EMS) have a right to know a persons HIV status? Or are we talking about an actual taxi driver given this sensitive information?

we are actually talking about an actual taxi driver who is doing a hosital transfer who in thery shouldnt know

[thinkertdm]

we are actually talking about an actual taxi driver who is doing a hosital transfer who in thery should know

In theory "should know"? Why is that? Do you have to disclose your HIV status to waiters, bus drivers, plumbers? Unless the taxi driver is having sex with the patient, or they are sharing needles, he doesn't need to know anything except the destination and who is paying.

I don't understand the drama. Put the patient in the taxi, tell the driver the destination, and that's it. No need to give a history. I'm sure the driver has had much worse things in the back seat than HIV.

[simont]

shoudlnt know sorry typo

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

It's an easy conclusion for me, nurse was completely wrong, and her job should be in jeopardy. It's a very serious breach.

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

Thanks for clarifying. I agree there was no good reason for telling the taxi driver.

[healthstar, BSN, RN]

In US we take confidentiality seriously, and I love it. No one needs to know my medical history, unless I am going to harm someone or I am suicidal. I don't know much about UK and confidentiality, I just know that in most parts of Europe confidentiality is not taken as seriously as in US. Once you test positive for HIV, expect the next day the entire neighborhood to know.

People don't care about law suits, many of them have connections and they will never lose their licence. In many parts of Europe, people get a away with murder.....some people get just a few years in jail for taking someone's life.

I have traveled a lot and I have family everywhere, Europe is much different from US. I wish everybody would take confidentiality seriously, but they don't.

[simont]

well i would like to say hello to everyone aswell!!!:):)

[snoopy29]

As a UK nurse I think there are a number of inconsistencies in this post - it may well be down to how I am reading it.

Every hospital has a system for reporting clinical and non-clinical incidents. If this is about a nurse it will go to there ward manager or equivalent. There is a strict process of recording, reporting and responding and does not involve the inclusion of admin assistants. By there very nature they often contain highly confidential medical information and are disclosed only on a need to know basis.

I cannot help but wonder why the HIV status of a patient was alledgedly disclosed to an admin assistant???? sorry but cannot see it happening. I also struggle with the idea of a nurse choosing to disclose this and a taxi driver refusing to transport.

There are so many parts of the original post that have me asking "how??" but then I am also the first to know that if anyone is going to drop a huge clanger it is the medical profession.

[happy2learn]

No one has to disclose HIV status to anyone (unless they are planning on sleeping with them.) Even surgeons can have HIV and not have to disclose to the people they will be performing surgery on.

I really love (sarcastic) when people treat people with HIV as if it's a communicable disease. The public really needs to be educated on this.

Shame on that nurse.