Rant!!! Someone's using my name!

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

Trying to give not too much detail here since I live in an area where pratically everyone knows each other.

Tonight, one of the nurses had a tiff with a nurse on another floor, regarding Hipaa...from what I heard, she went to visit a patient that she and her husband both knew and the patient's nurse got angry because she thought it was a confidentiality breach. Another nurse told me it was pretty much a screaming match..

I'm circulating a case and get a call from the nursing supervisor. Apparently, someone gave the nurses on the floor MY first name when asked who the OR nurse was. Keep in mind I never laid eyes on this patient and I don't know him from adam. Also keep in mind that I had been in a long case the whole afternoon.

This really makes me upset. I've been there long enough that the OR people know my name so there was no excuse for this. There was another nurse from the OR that was up on the same floor dropping off a patient and by his own admission, he says he used my name. He claims because there is a nurse on the other floor with my name, but others have said he may have been trying to protect the other OR nurse. For all I know, maybe the nurse herself used my name.

Thank God, the nursing supervisor asked me a few questions and heard me out. She said she had the wrong person apparently. But, I am very angry about this. This is my professional reputation at stake and also those Hipaa fines are serious business. We also drop off a lot of patients on this particular floor, so now I'm worried that there are people up there who are going to still think it was me. My hospital, like most, is a huge rumor mill.

I'm going to discuss this with the coordinator of my service tomorrow. I don't know if the nursing supervisor took it further and discussed this issue with the guilty party and if she let the other floor know who was really involved. I cannot believe that some people are this maladjusted and just plain evil..:crying2:I'm trying to believe that it was just one big whopper of a misunderstanding.

At any rate, I feel I need to pursue this with my boss so my reputation isn't smeared. Thanks for listening.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Oh, I would have been very, very angry.

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

I was wrongly accused of something at the hospital once. It was a case of mistaken identity. It was very upsetting to me, but one conversation with my NM, who knew me and what kind of person I am took care of it. Hopefully your issue will be resolved and the person who dropped your name will be found out and face the consequences.

[nyapa, RN]

I would follow it up. And find some way to document. I don't know what would be appropriate; may be an incident report?

[nursynursenursenurse]

I would speak with a manager (or two, three, whatever) and tell them the story. Then get them to sign a paper or state (in front of a witness of your choosing, like a co-worker, not another higher-up) that you came to them on such and such date and explained the situation, and so on. Then if anything comes of it in the future, you'll have a signed statement that you recognized the problem immediately and got with management to clear up the confusion. Just my two cents. If they won't sign it, then I'd be sure your witness hears it all, and then have the witness write down and sign their version of what they witnessed, including discussions with the management. Seems like a lot of effort, but it could save your butt in future. I have one manager I get along with really well who wouldn't bat an eyelash at this request. Also, try to get someone else to witness the one guy's admission that he falsely used your name.

[bigsyis]

When I was daytime Charge on a Medical Unit, the night Charge Nurse did the same thing to me. A pt wanted to complain about the way a nurse on dayshift had talked to him. She offered my first AND last name and then proceeded to tell our Manager about the pt's complaints about me. I told the Manager that there hadn't been the first problem between me and that pt but, to be sure, the Manager and I went down to the pt's room together. Imagine the surprise on the pt's face when he saw me and heard that I was the one he had complained about. He immediately corrected that misconception, and then described someone who was the polar opposite of me who had been his day nurse the previous day. Talk about a set-up! Plus, I had never done anything to the night Charge.

[oramar]

I wonder if the people that do this realize they could be liable for somesort of slander suit. I would be angry also.

[squeakykitty]

I hope this works out for you. Do you have witnesses or documentation that may help? Some people are lying troublemakers who will turn a workplace toxic.

[Penguin67]

I'm not sure that I completely understand the situation. From what you wrote, a nurse visited another patient. Whether or not she was on duty, I do not see a friendly visit as a HIPAA violation. Can you give any other details that wouldn't compromise the anonymity that you request?

Thanks

[shellsgogreen]

how irritating to have been dragged into something that had nothing to do with you

grr.

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

I'm not sure that I completely understand the situation. From what you wrote, a nurse visited another patient. Whether or not she was on duty, I do not see a friendly visit as a HIPAA violation. Can you give any other details that wouldn't compromise the anonymity that you request?

Thanks

From what I was told, this patient was a neighbor of hers and she had heard he was in the hospital, she went up to see how she was doing. I'm not sure it's a Hipaa violation either, but there can be bad blood between the OR and this floor at times. I'm not sure of all the details, because this had nothing to do with me. I was dragged into it by someone using my name when I had never even laid eyes on this patient.

Thankfully, when we chart in the OR, we log in the times we were in the case. So, I do have proof somewhat that I wasn't involved. I also told my boss, who is like a mother tiger when it comes to her staff. She got right on the phone to the head of the OR and made it very clear that what happened was wrong. Supposedly, the nurse manager in question is known for stirring the pot when she doesn't have her facts straight.

I would think an apology is in order, but I'm not holding my breath! I did document this as well, so I hope I'm covered.

[MTRN13]

If I found out for sure who it was I would want them fired !!! Their lying put your license on the line . This should be further investigated. It could have gotten you into big trouble.