Does this constitute as a lack of privacy??

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Here is my question for anyone out there with knowledge about privacy laws. In my facility our SS# is used all the time. We use it for entering into the Diebold machine, entering into the glucometer machine, getting into the computer system. In my position I must ask each staff member their number to sign them up for continuing ed classses, and orientation set-up. I don't feel comfortable with this information--I usually have them write it down and then when I am done with letting the various departments have the SS#, along with employee's name, address, and position--I give the paper back to them and encourage them to rip it up.

It is so easy to assume someone else's identity today and steal their credit etc.:o Is this a common practice where you work? Does anyone have any info I can take back to the education council to change this practice??? It seems to me using the employee number should suffice. :uhoh3:

Specializes in surgical, neuro, education.

Thanks everyone--all good points, I plan on bringing this up at next education meeting(this is where most of the use of SS# stems from. We each have our own employee number. They don't change either--because I left for a few years and came back with the same number. I Guess I just needed some fuel for the fire. Thanks.:D

Hi Zumalong,

I think if I had the last four or five numbers of your social security number and your teller card for your bank account I could eventually get your money.

That was the fight we put up here in Southern California. We the nurses refused to let our numbers be tossed around like the health care records are. For our glucometers we use a randomly assigned number, We do not have ID#'s on our badges, the only time I see my ID# is on my paycheck which I keep in a private place.

Yes, we have to keep the PII secured (Patients Identifiable Information) but they don't think about our information.

For inservices we do not use the SSN#. However part of our education is handle through an outside service. They do use the SSN#. They only place it is printed is on the quarterly participation printout.

When your facility discovers how other facilities are handling it they may do the same. Our glucometer that we recently switched to came with a rep that told us we have to use our SSN# and we asked what do you do when someone else has the same last four digits as you do? They gave the answer "If someone has the same last four numbers we will give you a random number". Need I say more with computers today there is a way to handle this. Now we all are given the choice to use our SSN# or a random number.

Hope this helps,

Cali

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