Gave patient the wrong forms

Published

I was at work today trying to get this patients forms all ready and set for them to go to the lab. In the hustle and bustle of the day and orders shooting off the printer I gave them two order forms one was the wrong patient and someone completely different. It was not noticed until they went to the lab to get blood drawn and noticed it was an order for someone else! They called out office and let us know and a new one was faxed to the correct location. I went home upset and defeated I cried because I felt so incompetent I have been a nurse for only a year. I fear I will be fired for this I have had a rough week. My question is what would you do?

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Specializes in Healthcare risk management and liability.

This happens all the time in my ambulatory settings: we give the patient the paperwork, prescriptions, or lab results intended for someone else. As such, it is technically a HIPAA violation, but I don't get too exercised about it. I ask the staff to slow down and double-check that the paperwork or prescription matches up with the patient before we hand it over or mail it out.

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Specializes in ICU.

Fired? Why? It was a simple mistake. You caused no harm to anyone. Papers can very easily get mixed up. It's why there are so many safety checks. It was caught.

You are making too big of a deal out if this.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

You've gotta be kidding? You gotta shake it off buttercup. I didn't go home crying after I accidentally flushed my central line and sent remaining levophed into my patient and made their SBP go into the 200s!!!! I didn't cry. I went and had a nice juicy burger for lunch and before lunch I bolused her with some propofol and fentnayl to bring down that pressure which it did! Things happen! You make a mistake and you find a solution.

My point is you made a mistake. I made a mistake. We all make mistakes.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

You are human. Learn to double check and move on. Even when trying my best and working my orifice off for my patients for 23 years I occasionally mess up. We are people not machines.

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I've done much worse, and have never cried. Just remember to be careful next time. Ah, the joys of paper charts.

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For it to be a true HIPAA violation it has to be the INTENTIONAL breach of private information. Accidental breaches like this are not considered violations.

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Specializes in Healthcare risk management and liability.
For it to be a true HIPAA violation it has to be the INTENTIONAL breach of private information. Accidental breaches like this are not considered violations.

Ooh, we could not be more wrong about this. The question of intent goes to the degree of penalties that can be assessed. Intentional breaches, those due to willful neglect, or those done with malicious intent or for financial gain carry more stringent penalties than accidental or inadvertent breaches. No Harm Done? Assessing Risk of Harm under the Federal Breach Notification Rule gives some examples of how we need to assess the breach to determine if notification to the affected party is required. What are the Penalties for HIPAA Violations? details the penalty structure.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Ooh, we could not be more wrong about this. The question of intent goes to the degree of penalties that can be assessed. Intentional breaches, those due to willful neglect, or those done with malicious intent or for financial gain carry more stringent penalties than accidental or inadvertent breaches. No Harm Done? Assessing Risk of Harm under the Federal Breach Notification Rule gives some examples of how we need to assess the breach to determine if notification to the affected party is required. What are the Penalties for HIPAA Violations? details the penalty structure.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that the part they're referring to covers things like phone calls, conversations, and anything that might be revealed incidentally. Giving a patient someone else's test requisition is not an incidental thing

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Cardiac dork you made my day! I love it !

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Cardiac dork you made my day! I love it !

Lol thanks! I like to be funny and I'm glad some one isn't sensitive to my humor and can appreciate it.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

Pretty sure no one ever died for lack of proper paperwork. No big deal.

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