Ethical Question

What this "nurse" is doing is so incredibly immoral it needs immediate attention taken to stop it. It is not and should not be excused by "letting off tension" or " blowing off steam" Yes, we all have had our moments of doing that but any nurse who is professional will talk to one good friend nurse during a break and in a secluded space somewhere like the nurses lounge and out fo earshot of others. I would start and I mean just start with talking to the charge nurse on the unit, then I would follow up with a letter (letters alwasys get paid attention to) to the nurse manager , the dean of the nursing school she attends and the president of the hospital. HIPPA or not this so very wrong and needs to be immediately stopped, she might be a fabulous nurse otherwise and it would be a shame for this to be the cause of her dismissal down the road. You would be doing her a favor whether she thinks so or not. And please don't worry none of what I have said to do will be the cause of any major problems or her not finishing school. She at most will be reprimanded with note in her file. But most of all it hopefully will show her how exptremely important it is to respect all patients in all respects. Good luck to you and i'll keep you in my prayers that you won't be a patient long enough to feel like you have to address this kind of issue but I am so glad you did take the time. Thank you for keep us on our toes.

As my screen handle says, I have been a patient far too many times in my life. Those experiences are why I need to ask this question. I work with a woman who has been going to nursing school for the past 3 years and will graduate in May. She is a great book learner and technician from what I can determine, however, I have serious doubts about her personality being suited to any area of the medical profession that requires patient contact.

Since this student began clinicals, everyone within earshot has been treated to stories about her patients. She believes that she is not violating HIPPA laws because she does not name names. The stories she tells are always something to do with patient's reproductive and elimination areas, and are told for their titillating value with absolutely no sense of sympathy or empathy. Apparently she is not alone as she states many of her co-students engage in the same behavior - at the hospital!

Should this woman actually become a full-fledged nurse, she has a lifetime of material for getting her jollies. Many people, myself included, have told her to knock it off but she just doesn't get it. In all of the humiliating procedures I've had to endure in my lifetime, I have NEVER been treated with anything but courtesy, respect and professionalism by workers in the medical community. I understand that there will be a certain amount of joking from time to time just to release some tension, but this woman is far and away abusing the trust of her patients.

Now my question: I've warned her several times to stop telling tales out of school but they continue. Would it be out of order for me to call the school and ask them to hammer some ethics into their students?