HIPAA Question or ethics issue?

caliotter3 · Jul 27, 2012

I would not participate. Better safe, than sorry. Write a communication note to inform your employer of your refusal (or otherwise) to get involved. Your employer will probably tell you the same thing I said.

jt43 · Jul 27, 2012

I can't imagine any circumstance where subscribing to a blog would be a HIPAA violation. If you posted or shared info, that would be another story, but merely subing and viewing a blog is in no way a HIPAA violation. As far as ethics, there are boundary issues involved, but it's a grey area. Does your wmployer have a policy about this?

tewdles, RN · Jul 27, 2012

What would be the purpose or intent of visiting and reading this blog?

I would suggest that her blog is a personal thing and that your professional boundaries would be less tested by avoiding that sort of personal interaction...you just can't anticipate where some paths lead.

just my honest opinion.

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Jul 27, 2012

Simply stated: it's better to err on the side of caution and avoid any participation. You never know how something like this can be construed by crafty lawyers looking to uphold client's rights to privacy (trust me, I know).

CrazierThanYou · Jul 27, 2012

I don't see a problem. The parents of chronically or terminally ill children very often have blogs. I don't see how following it would be a HIPPA violation. The mother isn't held to any HIPAA guidelines.

pandora1002 · Jul 27, 2012

I am a private duty peds nurse. The mom of my tiny patient has a special blog that is for people who have kids with chronic issues to post updates on how the child is doing. She has given me access to view the blog. Is subscribing to this blog a HIPAA violation? Or could it be a nurse ethics issue?

I don't believe it is a hippa violation to look at or read the blog; these are not hospital records and you are not sharing information. It may however be crossing a professional boundary, and that could cause all kinds of issues in your relationship with this family. I would say "thanks, but no thanks."

spectrabrite, LVN · Jul 27, 2012

yes, def a problem you dont want to walk into.

itsnowornever, BSN, RN · Jul 27, 2012

I don't see it as either. Ask your employer to get their view...but maybe mom just wants someone to talk to and doesn't know how to talk? I for one know that when I am upset/hurting I prefer to write instead of talk, so maybe that's how she is? Gets her feelings out to you so that it's easier for her to express frustration/anger/resentment with regard to her child's issues and "fate" instead of flat out telling you and risking it coming out wrong.

wooh, BSN, RN · Jul 27, 2012

Reading ok if you really want to. I prefer to leave my patients at work and leave my time for ME.

Don't post comments. That can only lead to problems.

sauconyrunner · Jul 27, 2012

You could subscribe and read. i would not comment on it at all. Many many people have blogs regarding their chronic illness. I have one which detailed my recovery and return to running in really excruciating detail, from a very complicated hip surgery. I found out later that my Physical Therapist was one of my subscribers. It turns out...he had been subscribing for a year before the surgery and didn't get that it was me until I posted some photos and details regarding the surgery. He never left a comment, and never used anything I blogged about in our sessions, though sometimes I could swear he had been reading verrrry carefully!

If you go off the case and decided you want to keep in touch, you could probably read and then post generic comments, "I hope Little baby is feeling better soon" "I hope you get some rest Mom!" but I would use common sense. AND asking your employer their preference never hurts.

somedaypeds · Jul 27, 2012

Thank you for your responses. My employer does not have an official policy on this.