Employee Privacy?

maryloufu · Mar 23, 2008

I am not sure about the privacy thing. I know they let us have free labs once a year if we want them. It is stressed that they are not mandatory. Wow- it doesnt seem like they really need to know your triglycerides.

strider1500 · Mar 23, 2008

Yeah, they checked my glucose, cholesterol. I got all this told to me in a telephone call. I'm supposed to get the results in the mail some time this week.

racing-mom4, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2008

Well I guess my 1st question is who told you? Was it your new boss/DON? or was it someone from the lab?? As if it was a lab person, I guess OK, but I have never been given lab results over the phone before, but it would be nice.

If it was new boss or DON I would be mad---as your totally correct, they have no need to know.

strider1500 · Mar 23, 2008

Well, the phone call came from the employee health dept, which is in the hospital.

I don't know if the results will reach my unit director or not.

candy.ponce · Mar 23, 2008

I can think of numerous privacy invasions such as

a) Why does a patients home address,social security number. Place

of employment and home phone number need to be in their chart

for everyone to see? It's said that 0n average 75 employees look

in every patients chart that should not!

Perpetual Student · Mar 23, 2008

Was this done before or after you were hired? It seems rather invasive to me and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't tolerate it unless I was pretty much guaranteed a job that I REALLY, REALLY wanted. Were you aware of it ahead of time and able to fast to ensure accurate levels, or did they kind of just spring it on you?

strider1500 · Mar 23, 2008

Was this done before or after you were hired? It seems rather invasive to me and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't tolerate it unless I was pretty much guaranteed a job that I REALLY, REALLY wanted. Were you aware of it ahead of time and able to fast to ensure accurate levels, or did they kind of just spring it on you?

The physical was after the job offer.

I was told of a mandatory medical screening, I didn't know that they were going to draw blood.

CABG patch kid, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2008

It is common that they do a blood test as part of your employment physical screening, at least, both of my hospital jobs have. They do the standard health screens: Biochemistry panel, CBC and some add in the heart health panel (cholesterols, trigs, etc.)

Your health record is protected by HIPAA and I don't think your boss is on the "need-to-know" list. If there was something wrong with you that prevented you from doing your job according to standards, like a back problem, most likely the employee health dept. will tell you to go see your primary doc or a specialist to get cleared (again, my own experiences). They should NOT call your boss directly and say "oh so-and-so has XXX wrong and needs to get treatment before she starts on the floor", they will just tell you that you can't start work until you take care of XXX IF it is something that affects your performance, like a back or knee injury.

In any case, the only people that should have access to your chart there are the people that work in employee health, and then only if they need to know something for your care. Good luck

txRN07 · Mar 23, 2008

The only thing I had to do at my hospital was the buccal swab for drug testing, and they tested my blood for Hep B antigen, and that was it, I guess each facility is different, but I don't think your triglycerides is their business.

TazziRN, RN · Mar 23, 2008

Even if your employer did find out, which they won't, it should not affect your employment. My pre-emp blood work was the first time I found out I had high lipids, and I was able to get it taken care of.

Sabby_NC · Mar 23, 2008

Wow am glad they found a problem now get those Triglcyerides down.

This will potentially prevent probs for you down the track.