Report in the pt's room?

Our administration started that line of cr*p too. Here's my thought: How is doing "walking" report or report outside the pt room (or inside the pt room.... our rooms are semiprivate) not a HIPAA volation? Anyone walking past, or visiting inside the room, or in the next bed over can hear what you're saying!!! I do not understand what the point is. I still do a discrete report like you mentioned, and then introduce the new nurse to all the pts.

I wish I had an answer, but at least know that I feel your pain!

Blessings,

Crystal

I'm in Australia and we do both. First we have the report in a room where every nurse makes notes on every patient. Then the nurse from the previous shift who had the patients you are looking after gives the report by the bedside. This is extra things like 'Here is Mr. Smith, I've put that type of dressing on his wound, as you can see, but you might need to change it. '

Oh, it does violate HIPAA. The pt can know all their info and family and friends can be asked to step out, but what about the pt in the next bed? Most rooms are not private.

One of my patient's Doctor was discussing the patients condition and what procedures were going to be done with the patient while the patient's girlfriend was in the room and she ends up finding out that the patient has Hep C that he "neglected" to tell her.

I am convinced HIPAA was put in place to drive me crazy and I am a HIPAA officer and nationwide instructor...GO FIGURE!!!! I think if they intend to enforce the law..semi-private rooms would have to go. Unless you are going to do charades with the patient..geez...

HIPAA basically says this:

*we may make certain disclosures of protected health information incidental to the above purposes, so long as we make reasonable efforts to limit such uses and disclosures to the minimum information necessary to accomplish the intended purpose, and reasonably safeguard protected health information to limit such incidental uses and disclosures. Some examples of incidental uses and disclosures include:

• Calling your name in a waiting room when it is time for your exam.

  
  

• Discussing your treatment or condition with you in a semi-private hospital room.

  
  

• Personnel may discuss your treatment or condition at a nursing station or similar area of the office or hospital to the extent necessary.

  
  

One of my patient's Doctor was discussing the patients condition and what procedures were going to be done with the patient while the patient's girlfriend was in the room and she ends up finding out that the patient has Hep C that he "neglected" to tell her.

:smackingf Oops!! Omg......!!

Hey Guys, Been a-while, but as you all know, it's eat, work, and work.

I HATE bedside reporting!!! Our facility "requires" us to report at bedside, and, like 1BunnyRN said, sometimes you have to pass along information to the next shift that the patient does not know, or that the family and/or visitor does not have any business knowing. Even if we anounce visiting hours over- I work in the CCU, and we have "open" visiting hours (Admin's choice, not our's!!)- the family invariably thinks that it does not apply to them. Drives me BANANAS!!!!!! At least my director is "trying" to change the visiting hour, from an open unit to ENFORCED visiting hours. Not sure how we will "enforce" them, but I guess we will find out.

Oh well, that's my two cents worth.

Thanks for listening. 's RN

I understand bedside reporting in ICU, that's what we did when I worked in a unit. But I don't think it's appropriate, in my opinion, on a ward or floor. First of all, I would think it could take longer as you walk from patient to patient. If you're in a room giving report and the patient needs something important, you can't tell him or her to wait while you're getting report. In the hospitals here, there aren't that many private rooms, so there's the privacy issue, and finally, I like to be able to ask whatever questions I want to ask, without having to worry about unduly concerning my patient - and that isn't always possible if you're standing right there. Sure, you can go outside the door, but then the patient is lying there in bed wondering what you're talking about that he or she couldn't hear.

and is otherwise critically ill. In our ICU, they are in their own cubicle, and we ask visitors to step out during report.

We have been asked that if we aren't doing bedside report (the choice is ours), to go in together and check drips and tubings at the change of each shift.

Since we only get one or two patients depending on acuity, it isn't a big deal to do it.

When there is something that we don't want the patient hearing about, such as agitation or family drama over code status, that sort of thing, we do not discuss it bedside.

Blee

What does report at bedside do besides really confuse the patient? We have dry-erase boards in each patients room on which we put the date, nurse and aids first names, the tests ordered for today, the patients diet and fall risk. Some patients like to list their current questions too so they remember what to ask the doctor.