Has anyone had the experience of knowing a patient on their unit?

[njmonsterboi80]

I recently was walking on another unit and was stopped by a patient who knows me.. This is someone I met about 10 years ago back in HS and run into every couple years. Last year I had receieved an email from him and attended his college graduation party.

Now I find out hes been transferred to my unit and I'll be there tomorrow. I did meet with him to see how hes doing and frankly, he's very ill. I spoke with my manager and she told me to just remain therapeutic and not to take him as a patient.

I certainly intend on keeping his personal information within the hospital, but I'm not even sure if I should be privy to it.. and it'll be unavoidable with him on my unit. I supposed I'll follow my managers direction and just not take him as a patient.

Has anyone else had this experience?

[TopazStone]

It happens to me a lot and as the only scheduled nurse, I can't avoid caring for them. I do inform my supervisor and reassure the person that everything is confidential and will remain so. I do have the option of trading sites with another nurse but the client is usually receptive to having me as a provider. I even had this happen when I worked in another county! A friend's daughter was on my unit and she recognized me. After I ran down the confidentiality laws with her, she was accepting of my care too.