PHOTOGRAPHS with cellphones

Nurses General Nursing

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Anyone else sick of being blind-sided with having your photo taken by a family members cell-phone?

I mean its all so nice and good that they like me and think I am cute. But how does that give them the right to snap my photo on the job?

And what is wrong with people who think this is a normal thing to do in a hospital setting?

:argue:

Huh, haven't had this be a problem (guess I'm not cute enough, LOL!). Seriously, though, you have a reasonable right to privacy and if you DO seem to have a family that gets snap-happy, just let them know you aren't big on having your picture taken. I'd probably just say "Hey, thanks, but I REALLY DON'T want my photo taken again. Ever." And say it in such a plain and firm way that they'd get the message loud and clear.

Specializes in Nursing Home ,Dementia Care,Neurology..

I hate having my photo taken,full stop.I even avoid the 'mug shot' photo for the staff board.I work nights ,who's going to see me anyway!

If they are taking your photo in a work situation there is also the patient privacy thing as they could inadvertently take pictures of patients.

Specializes in ER.
Anyone else sick of being blind-sided with having your photo taken by a family members cell-phone?

I mean its all so nice and good that they like me and think I am cute. But how does that give them the right to snap my photo on the job?

And what is wrong with people who think this is a normal thing to do in a hospital setting?

:argue:

you know, I've wondered the legalities of this.... it has happened to me once (that I know of) but everyone has their cell phones on and many appear to be texting or whatever. How do you know of times where images have been snapped of CPR rolling into the ambulance bay and those nosey nellies standing outside their door with their cell phones?

My experience was this guy taking a picture of me starting an IV on his friend... I'm sure this must not be appropriate... or legal? Not sure. What IF I was doing something wrong, for instance? This guy didn't have my consent to take a picture.... he was trying to rib his friend over being a baby and whining about an IV... not about me being cute or anything like that.... that I know of! ha ha ha - never thought about that... hmmmmm

taking someone's pic w/o knowledge and consent [implied consent, like if you are at a social gathering where cameras are evident] would definitely be an invasion of privacy

Specializes in NICU.
Anyone else sick of being blind-sided with having your photo taken by a family members cell-phone?

I mean its all so nice and good that they like me and think I am cute. But how does that give them the right to snap my photo on the job?

And what is wrong with people who think this is a normal thing to do in a hospital setting?

:argue:

There are no cell phones allowed in our unit, but cameras are everywhere. Families use them, staff uses them...every day. We also have parents that stay at the bedside, making notes about everything that's done, all day long. I've also seen my name pop up in more than one Internet blog (a common thing for our families).

Yes...it's nerve-wracking, and I find it irritating some times. Like, get OUT of my face, okay! I just accept it as part of the job, and take the quiet, respectful families along with the paparazzi ones.

I don't think it's illegal to snap someone's photo in a public place. I think it's just annoying.

Thats the crux.

Cellphones are not allowed, however you really can't prevent them from coming in and being used, unless we resort to frisking family members which of course we are not going to do.

What makes me angry is that there is never any fore-warning. Its just Snap! and the photo is taken. I guess these people like shipping this all over the internet, "hey look at this nurse I had," or "hey, look what we are doing today, " or "hey, do you think this nurse did something illegal that I can sue for?"

I do not believe anything can be done about this. Its going to be part of the Nature of The Beast.

:madface:

Specializes in oncology, trauma, home health.

I posted a while back about a nurse I worked with who would take pictures of pt's wounds when they were out of it, she was a charge nurse too.

Specializes in NICU.

Some of my co-workers have Internet pages like Facebook and myspace. A few of them have pictures of themselves at work....sometimes acting like complete morons. No, there are no patients in the pics, but it still bugs me. I don't even know WHY you'd bring a camera to work.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Wound Care.
I posted a while back about a nurse I worked with who would take pictures of pt's wounds when they were out of it, she was a charge nurse too.

Wound pictures are going to become a requirement as the Medicare regulations about hospital acquired wounds come in to place. Photo documentation of a wound on admission should be a standard in all hospitals..and will be. Without being able to document an exisiting wound and it's presence on admission, the hospital stands the chance of "owning" that wound later on in the admission.

On the flip side, we had a patient who had an incredible looking fracture. Our physician asked permission to take a photograph with his cell phone. (Patient was 20 years old, mother present in room also agreed, picture JUST of fracture, no identifiable marks) Both patient and mother agreed.

When they found out that the patient would be transferred to other facility for surgery, they wrote a complaint letter to admin, including that pictures were taken. The doc was disciplined, heavily.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Wound Care.
Wound pictures are going to become a requirement as the Medicare regulations about hospital acquired wounds come in to place. Photo documentation of a wound on admission should be a standard in all hospitals..and will be. Without being able to document an exisiting wound and it's presence on admission, the hospital stands the chance of "owning" that wound later on in the admission.

I should make clear that these picture are not done with cell phones and do become part of the official medical record.

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