Do you think I could get kicked out?

[w.ross1990]

So I went to clinical prep yesterday and my husband accompanied me up to the unit. As I did my prep he sat by me playing on his iPhone. Anyway someone(s) told my instructor that he was there and that I was supposedly showing him stuff on the chart ( which I was not, I repeat I WAS NOT!!!!) I did not know that I was not allowed to have someone with me. So I now have to go in front of the professional conduct board and I am terrified they will kick me out of the program. I have been an AB nursing student And have never done anything unprofessional!! I am freaking out...and crying a lot because I didnt know I was Breaking the rules. Any advice or anything would help!!

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Honestly I am hoping she didn't get kicked out. She'll learn more from this having to face the music and then move on than to just be forced out.

[Hygiene Queen]

I noticed the OP is 21 years old. I think it's easy to forget how young some students are and still learning the ideas of professionalism and ethics.

It is completely inappropriate for her to bring her husband up on the unit. It is grounds for dismissal. It SHOULD go without saying, but apparently sometimes things need to be spelled out. Some students need to be taught what professionalism is. Some of the younger students may have nothing to draw on. No job experience. It's hard to fathom, but it happens. At the very least, this is a learning experience. At worst, she gets kicked out of school. Bad judgement, no doubt.

I agree.

We are not born unto this world with all the savvy we will ever need.

We acquire it all over time and make many painful mistakes along the way.

Some acquire it sooner than others and it all depends on your life experience.

Unfortunately, some lessons are learned the hard way.

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

If only in real life I got to pick a pt.....

In a way it's nice, but on the other hand, you can sometimes spend a long time trying to pick the 'perfect' one. Having one assigned allows you to just jump in, get your info, and get working on that dreaded care plan. :)

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Yep......and then that patient discharges later that evening, and you have to start all over again in the morning before clinical.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

as an instructor i used to get there at 0545 to pick the patients for my students for the day. and they whined because they had to come in half an hour ahead to review the chart.

[wooh, BSN, RN]

as an instructor i used to get there at 0545 to pick the patients for my students for the day. and they whined because they had to come in half an hour ahead to review the chart.

oh goodness, i remember my med-surg 2 clinicals. would go the day before to get information. then had to be there super early to check any changes. i think i tended to have to get there about 0530. which was fun since i lived over an hour away. but worth it, because scary instructor (that i did learn a lot from) seemed to assume if you were there before her you were prepared and wouldn't hit you with quite as many questions as those that got there after she did. :)

prepared me well for night shift, "am i able to function on almost no sleep in a nursing environment? yes, apparently i am!!"

[Patti_RN]

I was horrified when I first saw your post last week, the further details you added strengthened your personal case and gave some logic to your decision. We have all done things that, in retrospect, were mistakes. But, only with the reality of what actually happened can others comment on what you should have done. Had your husband sat in the car that day and suffered from hyperthermia everyone on this board would now be telling you what a callous, self-centered person you were for NOT bringing him inside and inviting him to sit in a public place out of the heat. Had he dropped you off and returned for you 45 minutes later people would be telling you how irresponsible it was to waste your money on gas and what a waste of the nature's resouces. Had he gotten mugged while hanging out in parking lot, they'd be questioning his judgment for not coming inside. It's very easy for people to sit back and critique other people's decisions based on what actually happened and give them an alternative of what should have been done--but no one knows for sure how that really would have played out. We all do the best we can under the circumstances and with what information we have.

The issue now is your meeting with the board. First thing is to own up to the mistake. Tell them you know HIPAA regulations, you did not breach any privacies or share or talk about patients with him. Tell them you realize that it had the look of impropriety, but assure them there was no conversation going on between the two of you. Then explain why he was with you in a public area. You can word this by saying, "I know this looked bad, and I understand your concern about patient privacy and workplace professionalism because I share those concerns. You could begin by saying, "There was no HIPAA violation, no information was given or available to my husband. He sat in a public waiting room where other visitors are often present." then share the mitigating circumstances, "We have only one car, so my husband had to wait for me. It was a very hot day, the A/C in the car is broken and it wouldn't have been prudent to have him sit in 90+ degree weather for 45 minutes." Then tell them what you could have done instead, "I realize this has the look of impropriety, but I reiterate that no sensitive information or any information was shared... but looking back on it, I could have directed him to wait for me in the coffee shop..."

Last, tell them this will never happen again, that you have learned that even the appearances of privacy issues are serious, and you have learned a valuable lesson. Then ask for their understanding, and tell them that you accept any punishments they see fit, but you hope that a verbal warning will suffice.