Outraged by no more privacy

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I want to know why do RNs, LPNs, and NAs now need to have their fingerprints in the system in PA. I consider this a huge violation of privacy for employees. Under what circumstance would they need the fingerprints in the first place. And I've tried to find the law that states it be required. Other than having most of my entire history, criminal background, child abuse clearance, and drug test, along with my SS# everywhere, why do I need to subject myself to more validity and no privacy. By the way, I have nothing on my record and have never taken (nor will I ever) taken drugs. So this isn't about covering up indiscrepancies. If you agree or have an opposing view please comment. And if anyone knows the law I'm looking for and could provide a link. Thanks.

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I just had to go down to the police station to be fingerprinted so that I can attend nursing school. We had to have a full FBI background check with drug testing. I agree with you, but it looks like employers are allowed to demand whatever they want these days. Same goes for all the vaccines they make us get to attend school. I cant even make my own medical care decisions anymore or its no deal for school, a job and a roof over my head. Heck for that matter I cant get on an airplane without a stripsearch! Welcome to the NWO, Hitler would be proud of this new regime.

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So if you kill your patients with empty saline flushes full of air, then dispose of them, they can nab you by having your fingerprints on record

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Same goes for all the vaccines they make us get to attend school. I cant even make my own medical care decisions anymore or its no deal for school, a job and a roof over my head.

You will be glad they had you get those vaccines the first time you get body fluids splashed all over you and trust me, it WILL happen no matter how careful you are... :)

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Specializes in Home Care.

Privacy in the US? Never.

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Playing the devil's advocate here.....

Imagine you just delivered a baby and in the middle of the night your baby goes missing from the hospital nursery. Somehow cameras did not catch the person nor did anyone see anything. The only thing they have to go off of is the fingerprints on the stuff the baby was in.

I would be willing to bet at that point you would be happy nurses got fingerprinted.

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Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.

At this time, my state does not require fingerprinting for licensure, but they already have my prints for my driver's license, so I wouldn't care.

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I had to get it done just to volunteer at the hospital. The strange part is I did it at a UPS store and not a police station or post office.

I also see we put Godwin's law into effect early on in this debate. I personally don't care about being fingerprinted, drug tested, or having a million background checks done because I don't have anything to hide and nothing to worry about.

The one thing I do object to is an employer running a credit check on an individual. Unless you are in a position where you will be handling large amounts of cash or other people's finances it shouldn't be done. Having bad credit doesn't effect anybody's ability to perform a job. Especially in today's horrible economy when people have to rely on credit after their savings are depleted just to put food on the table and buy clothes for their kids.

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Specializes in Hospice.

well this way someone can't steal your social security/ idenity and practice as a nurse under your license.

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Specializes in NICU.

I'm going to disagree too and say I am fine with it. I have nothing to hide so I don't care if they want to run background checks on me etc. I am even fine with the whole airplane security thing. I feel like privacy and safety can often conflict. I feel like this only raises the professionalism of being a nurse. I am all for transparency. Just my opinion and an interesting topic to talk about.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

the law may be part of the state's nurse practice act. It is in Texas. When Texas first started fingerprinting they found a few felons and at least one murderer. It is easy to change names but not as easy to change fingerprints. Remember, this documentation can also rule you OUT as a suspect.

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Specializes in ICU, Acute Dialysis, Telemetry/Stepdown.

We, as nurses, are priveledged to have full access to other human beings at their most vulnerable state.

Why would you not want people in our position to have background checks?

I had to have my fingerprints done in the state of Missouri in 1999 when I was going into nursing school, and again for my Missouri license. ALSO, again, when I applied for a Kansas license earlier this year. Fingerprinting nurses isn't a new thing.

If you want a job with complete privacy...work from home mailing envelopes. JK. ;)

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