Did I Violate HIPPA?

[nursingj]

Please help. I would appreciate any feedback...

The hospital where I worked said I violated HIPPA several times and even reported it to the state board of nursing. I was the RN on staff on the evening shift working with one other person (not a nurse) and 16 patients.

Did I violate HIPPA? I worked in a Rehab (drug) Hospital/unit.

1. I had a patient say he/she was going to kill someone (named a specific person). This is a duty to warn. Just to make sure I called the psych unit and discussed this with an RN there. She agreed it was a duty to warn. Just to make sure I called the nursing supervisor (actually 2 of them as it was a change in shift) both said it was a duty to warn. So I did. I called the police station and reported it. My boss was so mad she said I violated HIPPA and wrote me up.

2. I had a new patient arrive who I had not admitted yet. He/she was wearing a trench coat and had a bag with him/her. I did not have a chance to search his/her belongings yet. She/he sat on the floor and was crying out loud, "someone please shoot me, I just want someone to shoot me in the head". Still working with only one other person on the unit (not a nurse), I called the nursing supervisor for help, as he/she needed to go to the ER. The hospital nursing supervisor sent two police officers to the unit and they took he/she to the ER. My boss said I again violated HIPPA, because I allowed police officers on a locked unit.

3. I was admitting a patient, and wrote "Jack" instead of "Jill" (first name only) on a drug screen cup. I gave the cup to the new patient "Jill" with "Jack's" name on it. "Jill" brings the urine cup back and gives it to the secretary and said "I don't know who "Jack" is but I don't want "him" to get in trouble with my dirty urine". I was fired for that "violation".

The unit director and the secretary are very good friends . The secretary use to kick my door, throw charts at me and even threatened me while I worked there for two years.I reported this however nothing was ever done. I fretted when I walked into work, about what "I did wrong yesterday". I was dedicated and often worked past my shift until 2 or 3 in the morning, (was a salaried employee) because of the heavy workload, and no night shift nurse to report off to. I needed the job so I stayed.

Unemployement was given because the charges were unfounded. The state board of nursing also said the charges would not be made public as it was unfounded, but in the future it would require disiplinary actions. Meanwhile, I cannot get a job. No one wants me. I do not make it known I was fired when interviewing, nor do I lie, I just tell them "It was time for a change".

I am so discouraged with nursing, I am an "older nurse" and no one wants me. I am like a peice of trash thrown out of nursing. Plenty of apps and interviews, without a job. I feel like giving up.