Hidden camera, what would you do?

[Carole]

A nurse found a camera hidden in a patient room during one of the rounds. The camera was turned off, removed from the room, and the finding reported to the charge nurse. The staff members upon hearing about this situation were both baffled and disappointed by the actions of the family, who constantly praised the care given, while secretly recording the staff. The patient has been hospitalized for the past month and requires a high level of care due to the acuity of her condition, which has been provided throughout.

What would you do if faced with a similar situation?

[chare]

Who removed the camera?  And after it was given to the charge nurse, what did the he or she do with it?  As I suspect this was, at minimum, a violation of facility policy, and potentially state law, if hospital police and/or risk management aren't involved, they need to be.

As for the family, risk management needs to meet with them and let them know that this will not be tolerated.

Having said the above.  If it were me, I would assume that I was being recorded anytime I was in the room.

Best wishes.

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

At my old hospital, it was forbidden and if a person was filming us, we had to get admin involved. They would also tell family that visiting is a privilege, not a right and that they could lose their visiting privileges if it continued. Kind of brazen if you ask me. I wouldn't be worried about them seeing me, I try to be super careful and do things properly, but sometimes we have to do things that look like we're hurting the pt. 

[Carole]

The camera was removed by a day shift nurse, who found it. I am surprised about the way the situation was handled. It seems like this issue is being taken lightly. At other facilities where I worked, risk management, unit director, security, as well as upper management should have been involved and would have spoken with the family. When I Inquire about this issue, no one seems to be aware of its occurrence it almost seems like it is being swept under the rug.

[alfredbo1]

This sounds very scary!