Could the client sue me for this?

Slander is saying something about someone that wasn't true...most people do not realize that.

If you told the PT and did not document the conversation in the chart, then I could understand why the client was upset...as she obviously told you that in confidence...your post was worded to where I am unsure if the abuse is ongoing or not. The documentation is what is going to be important.

Does this client have minor children? If so, you are also mandated to report the abuse...an adult can stay in an abusive relationship, but they do not have the right to expose children to it.

However, you would be obligated to report it, if this individual is handicapped.

Not sure if she can sue you, because there are laws protecting you that if she tells you something you have to get that looked into. I don't think that the physical Therapist was the best person to tell that too...there isnt anything they can do about it. I could see the roles being reversed and the physical therpaist telling you...then you would have to be the patients advocate and make a referral to social work, inform the charge nurse or the manager.

I don't think telling physical therapy would benefit her in anyway though. Physical therapy doesnt do 'cognitive therapy' They only work on muscle strengthening and rehabilitation PHYSICALLY. not mentally.....

next time this happens, and you have questions about it. Go to your charge nurse or manager, they can help you make the right decision on the person to go to.

During our admission process, we have to assess for signs of neglect or violence in the home (Maryland law). I would actually look into reporting this to someone who can help the patient at home.

The client told me that she has been physically abused by her husband.... I am sitting at the couch in the lobby when a physical therapist who also works for the client sat down and i shared with him that the client told me she has been physically abused... I am just concern and i just want the PT to know so she can plan a better care for the client.... esp. the emotional aspect

the client got mad when she knew that i told the PT...

could she sue me for slander?

However, you could face legal sanctions if you failed to report it... nurses are "mandated reporters," at least here in California... perhaps not everywhere, though.

the client is 35 year old admitted due to palpitations , fainting and extreme fatigue. she has 2 sons... 8 and 6 year old.

her husband, as she told me, was alcoholic and hurt her whenever intoxicated....

i told the physical therapist so she could validate if what the client saying is the truth .. because i guess as a PT she knew if the injury is caused by an abuse or not right?

actually i told everyone on the team.. the nurse supervisor, the physician, the physical therapist and the other 2 nurses that cares for her on the different shift....

im not in the U.S so we have no laws about reporting it to government agencies or police.

I don't know the laws in your country or whether she could sue you.

I can tell you that you most likely ruined the trust in the relationship with your patient by not setting the expectation that you would tell the team about the abuse though and that she probably will not tell you anything else.

Even if there is no law to report in your country, by this patient sharing this information with you, it's most likely a cry for help and an indication that she wants out of the relationship. I would be less worried about whether she is going to sue you and more worried about helping this patient. Just my 2 cents.

The client told me that she has been physically abused by her husband.... I am sitting at the couch in the lobby when a physical therapist who also works for the client sat down and i shared with him that the client told me she has been physically abused... I am just concern and i just want the PT to know so she can plan a better care for the client.... esp. the emotional aspect

the client got mad when she knew that i told the PT...

could she sue me for slander?

#1) Anyone can sue you for anything; winning the suit is the problem. Still, you have to shell out to defend yourself.

#2) You violated HIPPA and yes, she can sue you. Caveat: You should have reported the abuse to your supervisor and she/he should have made the decision to report this to authorities.

#3) You stand a greater chance of being fired than being sued.

#4) The quickest way to get sued by a patient is to "**** them off". Go to her and apologize profusely.

I didn't read you did not live in the US and the other bits of info. That info would be helpful in your initial post. Still, some of what I answered applies globally.

If the OP isn't in the US then HIPAA may not be something they even have. Letting the PT know may be pertinent in providing treatment if you think about there being pain in doing some of the movements related to the abuse. So in that sense it may be relavant to the PTs job. As far as there being abuse in the home with small children--how can you not call on behalf of the children, mandated in your country or not??? That is crazy. Those children are helpless and at risk for having life long emotional damage and possibly at risk for being harmed physically as well. For that reason you need to make a call right away to protect the children. Here we have social services/Child Protective Services--you must have some agency in your country that is similar. A conversation with the social worker should get this going. Also if the husband is using illegal drugs in front of the children--here in the US that is another cause for calling so if he is using other drugs besides alcohol....either way you need to make that call. As far as her being able to sue you. Hard to say as we don't know if you have laws similar to our HIPAA laws and you could argue the PTs need to know this info to better provide care.

#1) Anyone can sue you for anything; winning the suit is the problem. Still, you have to shell out to defend yourself.

#2) You violated HIPPA and yes, she can sue you. Caveat: You should have reported the abuse to your supervisor and she/he should have made the decision to report this to authorities.

#3) You stand a greater chance of being fired than being sued.

#4) The quickest way to get sued by a patient is to "**** them off". Go to her and apologize profusely.

I didn't read you did not live in the US and the other bits of info. That info would be helpful in your initial post. Still, some of what I answered applies globally.

If the OP doesn't work in the US, then HIPAA doesn't apply.

Assuming she did, however, how does sharing important information with the health care team violate HIPAA? If the OP shared the info. with another employee at the hospital who was NOT on the patient's health care team, that's another story altogether. I think physical abuse is very relevant information for a PT to have!

We have a consent that gets signed on admit that gives the interdisciplines the right to talk about things that pertain to pt care. Abuse is def something that pertains to her care. And if she is mad at you, so be it. It's unfortunate that you are worried about being sued. That must be weighing heavily on your mind. You gotta report it.