Give Pt's your phone number?????

rn/writer, RN · Apr 25, 2006

It isn't a HIPAA violation to give out your own information. Nor is it against any laws that I know of. It may go against the policy of your facility, but I can't recall anything that prohibits giving our your own phone number to a patient in our Policy and Procedure manual.

The next question becomes, "Is it wise?"

Under most circumstances, I'd say, "Probably not." But there could be exceptions. A lot depends on the reason for giving out the number in the first place.

Perhaps the nurse knows the person in some other context and felt comfortable sharing personal info. Or they could have some other situation that would make communication outside the hospital a good thing. When one of my grandsons had surgery (he's a frequent flyer) one of the nurses who had become very familiar with our family gave my daughter her home phone number so they could talk about some things that had nothing to do with the hospital or my grandson's care.

If I were in that situation, I'd stick with giving out my cell phone number only. I'd have to have a reason outside of nursing concerns. And I'd have to be pretty certain that the patient was someone I could trust.

Hope that helps.

Drysolong · Apr 25, 2006

In two hospitals where I did my clinicals, nurses had hospital-issued cell phones to use while on duty. They routinely gave these numbers to their patients for the day.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2006

I guess because I work for the hospital that includes the inner city and we gut drug dealers and such, I've never heard of anyone giving a patient their phone number.

I agree with the above, it may not break any rules because it's your personal information to give out, but it certainly isn't wise in my opinion.

My patients know where I work, that's all the information they need to know. That's my advice to you if a patient asks simply say "I won't give you my number, but you know where I work."

Beary-nice · Apr 25, 2006

I myself would be very hesitant to do this unless I knew that particular pt in another context...like say family.

I have seen this happen though, and the nurses who readily gave their phone number out were then wishing they hadn't. One nurse I know was then called by her former pt and threatened when she told them she couldn't meet them for coffee.

I don't know if our facility has a policy or not...I just know that I do not participate. I live in a very rural area...if someone wanted to really find me they could which in itself is SCARY! :uhoh21:

SmilingBluEyes · Apr 25, 2006

Never.

p.allen3 · Apr 25, 2006

As District Nurses we have mobile phones supplied by the NHS trust we work for. Only in special circumstances will I give the number of this phone to a patient, as there are central numbers they can phone when problems arise. However, when we are dealing with terminally ill patients, the process of getting hold of us quickly is difficult. The last thing anxious relatives need, is to have to jump through hoops and over fences to contact us in a hurry, so this is when I make the exception.

ljds · Apr 25, 2006

When I worked more frequently for a birth center, I routinely, though with discretion, gave my phone number to clients; especially those who lived near me and had a history of precipitous labor and birth, or people I had become close to and felt that our families might want to pursue a friendship outside of the birth center. I carried an emergency birth kit in my car, in the event that some would precipt at home and I would need to manage it until the mw could arrive (the actual birth center was in a town about 40 minutes away). I have also become very close friends with several birth center clients.

In the hospital setting; no, I haven't. I just don't have a reason to.

Gompers, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2006

I'm guilty of giving my phone number and address to a few of the parents I've worked with over the years in the NICU. I'm not alone though - this is common practice around my unit. We work with these babies and their families for months and month, and sometimes we do bond with them.

The only families I've kept in contact with have called me just to say hi, to set up a lunch date, etc. They've onlyl sent me Christmas cards and birthday party invitations. I tell them right away that it's for keeping in touch, and that if there is a problem with the baby they need to call the pediatrician, not me. Never once have any of them asked me for medical advice or asked me to babysit. It's always like, "Hey, Joey is finally off oxygen and NG feedings - do you want to come see how great he looks?" instead of, "Should I start weaning the oxygen? Do you think he really needs the NG?"

Some of my coworkers are guilty of babysitting their former patients and I think that is a big mistake. I once went out to dinner with a former patient and his mom (who actually became a friend of mine) and she asked me to hold him while she went to the restroom. That five minutes made me nervous enough!