Facebook Violations

Nurses Safety

Published

I am a non agency home health aide. I have work weekends and enjoy my client. The other aide however has posted on her facebook on how grumpy her client is and how she can't wait to go, or how her day is going to be long. Other people have commented sarcastic comments like "Don't you just love old people". What should I do in this situation. She lies, and calls off A LOT too. I have worked for 8 months with this family haven't called off, and I have come in for her each time she calls off. I feel that she isn't responsible anymore to be in the healthcare field.

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Specializes in FNP.

MYOB. Stop reading her facebook page and worrying about what she does or thinks. Keep going to work and doing a good job. The rest will sort itself out.

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Well she has the family feeling sorry for her cause she is a single mom with two kids. It has come to a point where the clients daughter in law might hire a third person for how much she calls off. She likes to call off a half hour before her shift

with all kinds of excuses that I know are lies.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

Unless the aide posts identifying information of the client, I don't see how her posts can be a violation of Facebook policy, nor HIPAA. IMHO, you have no basis to complain about the other aide unless her behavior was endangering the client and what you posted does not seem to do so.

Also, those of us working in healthcare are human too and as such, we complain, whine, rant, and more. I don't see the big deal here.

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Ah ok, jw. Thank you.

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It sounds frustrating, but beyond maybe telling her it isn't cool to give you thirty minutes to cover for her, there isn't much that can be done about that. I would stop looking at the fb page to save yourself the added stress.

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Specializes in Cath Lab/ ICU.
MYOB. Stop reading her facebook page and worrying about what she does or thinks. Keep going to work and doing a good job. The rest will sort itself out.

Best advice ever...

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.

Unless she has posted the clients name, she's done nothing more than be a whiny-butt.

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Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

I may get on facebook and say I'm tired or my feet hurt, or man the moon must be full, but that's it. From what I write on FB, you couldn't tell if I worked in a hospital, what state or at a military base clinic -- just somewhere that has an ICU...and grits.

Just remember -- it's anything that would ID a specific patient. You know who she's talking about because you know who she's working for and it has to be a, b, or c. Your average person wouldn't know, so it doesn't make the HIPPA standard. If I'm in the elevator and say to a coworker as we're leaving, "Man, looking after a GI bleed if tough," that doesn't tell anyone else in the elevator "Oh, that's Ms. X from Jupiter, and she's in bed L with a GI bleed" -- not that I'd even do that, but you get the picture.

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it may not be a HIPPA violation but complaining about her patient on fb so that non medical people see it is unproffesional.... IMO. If she needs to vent the best place to do it is with a fellow RN in private (still not naming pt name) or here where its in good company. I think there are fine lines. I personally wouldnt complain about a pt on fb. but i WOULD complain about sore feet :)

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Specializes in Critical Care.

To all you young healthcare workers who friend coworkers and have 100's of friends, take this as a warning. If you make the mistake of complaining about work on facebook or even worse a patient you care for you are setting yourself up for problems. All it takes is one person to report you and you may find yourself without a job. You may also be violating HIPPA even without naming people as someone may be able to identify that person thru the descriptions, details you provide.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
To all you young healthcare workers who friend coworkers and have 100's of friends, take this as a warning. If you make the mistake of complaining about work on facebook or even worse a patient you care for you are setting yourself up for problems. All it takes is one person to report you and you may find yourself without a job. You may also be violating HIPPA even without naming people as someone may be able to identify that person thru the descriptions, details you provide.

I agree with you 100%. however, it's not just "young" healthcare workers.

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