I was reported for something I didnt actually do. Help.

Nurses HIPAA

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hi, first post on here so please bear with me. My stomach has been in knots for the entire day... Ok so here:

I started nursing school this year and have been doing AMAZING. I study, I do my work, I do well on exams, I ask questions if I do not know something, I take constructive criticism well, etc. I started clinicals a few weeks ago and was doing great, got great weekly reviews and so on. Then, my instructor was replaced by an old school instructor who everyone has feared and hated since she has worked there. Us new students have heard stories about her.

Anyway, she is a psych nurse, knows her stuff, is very informative, but is so mean spirited and condescending to me that I literally have knots in my stomach. Anyway, she has been consistently telling me I am unsafe... I don't see it. I've asked peers and staff members of the facility I'm at and they said it's false. So I've kind of put up with it until last week, she yet agai insisted on embarrassing me in front of people and really for no reason. I want to do well, I like to do well, I work hard, but when I do something as little as look away for a split second, she claps in my face and says I'm "like an autistic child" who likes shiny things and gets distracted easily.

Anyway, our first instructor told us we could make copies of charts and black patient info our (for assignments and care plans,etc) but yesterday out of habit, like I've done with my friends in class where we take a picture of a handout we got in lecture and send to the other ones to make sure we all have everything we need, I took my phone out at clinical while looking at a patients chart I had, DID NOT take a picture but admit I first by habit was going to, then put it away after a split second (I'm not that stupid) and made copies and covered the patients info.

Today I got called by my school director for a meeting. I wasn't allowed to go to clinical because the instructor who I swear is all over my butt for everything, told the director I took a photo of a chart. I %100 did not, but iof course admitted that yes I took my phone out by habit. Then realized oh crap, not lecture right now! Hipaa! I even had the copies I made along with the assignment that was due corresponding to the copies that I made and handed them over, but I have the sickest feeling in my stomach I've honestly ever had. If it were any other instructor I wouldn't be worried. I was about to make a huge mistake and then snapped out of it, I know better. Is this something I can be dismissed over?

Also, the instructor never came to me about it- I was honest with the director because I have nothing to lie about, but I feel like it has almost been a shot at sabotaging me. I have remained mature in the entire "communication" problem with this teacher, spoken to her, asked her what I can be doing to help myself, to no avail. She refuses to even speak like adults. I have had her laugh in my face and mock what I say so I have just been taking it. Plus anymore details on this woman's personality belongs on another thread.

i am more concerned with how I feel like I am guilty until proven innocent. Does anyone know what I should do? I've told the truth how this fifteen seconds happened, I'm not sure what else to do.:yawn:

Specializes in ER.

I didn't quite follow your rambling post. (Paragraphs would help) Are you saying that you have taken photos of pt charts? If so, you deserve the wrath of your school. That's illegal.

Taking your phone out at a clinical site, where you are a guest and bottom of totem pole was immature and foolish. My hospital is very strict about picture taking.

You sound like you have some growing up to do.

I think I know what you're saying. Do you have an iPhone ? Maybe you can prove, if needed, that no patients chart was photographed. I read where you only took photos regarding classroom time and what not. Try to remain confident because you know that you did not take a photograph of the patients chart. Hang in there. If you can prove that the photo was never taken, try to take the steps to obtain a documentation.

Ok. I re read your post about blacking out the patient names. Your instructor said that ya'll could do that, as long as the patients name was blacked out?

Well, now you know one reason why one does not take their cell phone out in the workplace, or the clinical site, or the classroom during an exam.

Specializes in Transitional Nursing.

OP, I get what you're saying. You take pics during class, and are allowed to provided the patients info is blacked out. You almost did the same thing during clinical, forgetting where you were, but didn't.

I don't know the answers to your question, but I hope someone who does will reply to you because I can tell that you're scared and you sound like you are a good student.

I am sorry for my fellow AN members who are being grumpy-McGrumpy pants without anything useful to tell you. :(

I agree, you don't have anything per se to 'hide' or even defend yourself for. You clearly admitted to a near-miss mistake.

I didn't read your post before the paragraphs were put in, and definitely, they help, I didn't have any trouble at all reading it.

The psych instructor is grossly inappropriate and unprofessional. Not like YOU can do a heckuva lot about it :( When a person tears into you like that, you can be the most "I have good boundaries" type person and it still hurts like heck. It's like being verbally slapped and humiliated.

I hope you can find it in yourself to relegate this poor excuse for an 'instructor' to a file called "Idiots I've Had to Tolerate to Meet My Personal Goals". If you don't have a file like that, make one :D you'll have further need for it.

Try and step back into some perspective, too. It's not like you don't already know this 'instructor' is a basket case. Use active visualization to foster an unkind image of her to carry around with you, like a talisman :D Practice this; whenever she starts in or does her thing, think loudly "WhatEVER!" and imagine yourself making the "W" sign at her retreating backside. It sounds to me like you are mature enough to glean from her what you need to learn, and begin tossing aside the rest. In a year's time, she will literally be that unimportant to you and your future career. It's irresponsible for a school to tolerate someone who behaves in a way that damages the students' learning experience.

She is one of many such 'teachers' of Life, and you'll feel more powerful-in-yourself if you take the steering wheel (as much as you can, this takes practice) and WORK with yourself in how you respond to her, both within your own mind and in your outer behavior. The only way to really get this important nursing skill down pat is to go through the experience with the intent to come out on top, which you will do. People who behave like this really don't get away with it. And every nurse needs a thicker-than-average skin, which is always, in all parts of lie, a good thing to have :)

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Might be a good idea to not have your phone on your person while in clinicals.

Specializes in hospice.
Might be a good idea to not have your phone on your person while in clinicals.

I'm required to have my phone during clinicals. I'm supposed to text my CI when I'm going to do a skill or give meds. I thought that was fairly common now.

Ugh thank you everyone so much. I have never been in a situation where I've ever asked for reassurance especially when I jnow I haven't lied nor diverted from the truth. Dumb mistake on my part. I find out today at 5 what's going to happen. I know hipaa is nothing to mess with.

as far as this instructor, It's hard to ignore someone when you know they are taking deep shots at someone's character. I've bitten my tongue many times, the things that throw her off the most are when I ask her directly why she is okay with being so passive aggressive. I'll let everyone know what's going on later tonight and thanks so much again.:D

Not sure what happened with your meeting today, however--you absolutely pay for school. So you have a right to clinically learn. I am wondering if instead of using a "passive-aggressive" remark, would it be helpful to say "I find that comment to be rude and condescending" "what is your goal, and what is it I am to accomplish?"

Keep bringing it back to present. No need to get into it with her. No need to have "the last word" contest. Meanwhile, try (TRY) not to emotionalize this. Her issue is her issues--and should not be made the class or a student issue, however.

If you find that it continues to undermine your ability to provide drama free patient care THEN I would take it up the chain of command--as no patient needs to be a party to this nonsense. And well within your right as a tuition paying student.

That being said--do not ever take pictures with your camera/cell phone of anything, ever that has to do with your classes, your clinicals--nothing. If you are using texting as communication with your instructor, then you would need your phone--otherwise, don't even bring it with you. And maybe you all can rotate who scans and emails the paperwork from class to each other for studying, otherwise, do NOT take any pictures. I would also use caution when taking pictures of your classmates in a clinical setting, in a classroom sharing on social media (and ya'll drinking from red solo cups on social media....story for another thread).

Just remember, privacy is paramount. The hospital doesn't want pictures floating around (identifiers blacked out or not). The school doesn't want pictures floating around (heaven forbid the school down the street "steals" their awesome power point!!) And you, as a student nurse don't want pictures floating around (jobs can an do look at social media)

Be mindful and careful moving forward. And wishing you nothing but the best.

Specializes in Transitional Nursing.

I agree that taking photos with your cell is just a bad habit to get into. I completely understand why it would be convenient, but all it takes is a situation .... well, pretty much a situation like you're in now... :(

As for having your cell on you to begin with, I guess its just up to the policy. Personally, I think they are way more useful than most people realize, and it is starting to be common practice at many places to allow their use for work related reasons. I use mine as a timer, watch, reference tool, etc. But, like I said, it's just up to policy and I suppose as a student it's better to be on your best behavior and just carry around the PDR ;-)

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