do you follow up with your patients?

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I've seen this mostly on ER shows like NY ER or Trauma : (but this question could apply to anyone in any dept) where doctors and nurses go check on a particular patient to see how they're doing. After a patient is no longer in your care (IE been transferred to ICU, Stepdown etc) Have you ever gone and visited? Have you ever had a patient that for some reason you just really cared to know the outcome? And if you did.. wouldn't that be a HIPPA Issue? (looking up stuff without 'need to know')

Just curious as usual....

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Specializes in Hospice & Palliative Care, Oncology, M/S.

I work oncology, so quite often we get to know the names of folks who come in frequently. It's a favorite thing to do on our unit, visiting those we haven't seen in awhile. I will also check on people who were transferred to other units if I cared for them for a length of time. Several of our nurses do this and it's always been welcomed by patients as well as family. I don't look up their charts, though, as I'm not their nurse anymore.

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I check up on my old patients all the time- however it's the same unit so maybe not the same

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Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.

One night I was convinced my patient was having an MI.

This was on a general floor. The attending (one I respected) was well aware of my suspicions but disagreed with me.

Her vitals were stable, numbers-wise (let's not get into her EKG tracing...) so I didn't go over his head and RRT her.

Cardiology finally called back during report in the morning and I was leaving as the cards fellow was coming up to see her.

I came in that night and she'd been made a heart code around 745 AM. Sent to cath lab then to CICU (complete block in one artery causing a major MI!). Attending had told the cards team it was all his fault because he didn't listen to me.

So once I got my patients settled I ran downstairs to the CICU to see her and talk to her. Didn't look up her records, but I had to see her because she was all I could think about while I was trying to sleep during the day. I don't know what ended up happening.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

First it's HIPAA not HIPPA. Yes, I have visited patients after I had cared for them and sought permission to view their chart. Have I randomly accessed their electronic record? no.

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Thanks for the feedback, and heaven forgive me for a TYPO....:sarcastic:

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Sorry pet peeve....;)

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