Hippa Law Pertains To ?????

unknown99, BSN, RN · Dec 25, 2003

:eek: :eek: :eek:

You bet your booty it is a blatant violation of the Hipaa laws!!!!!!

I would discuss this with your charge nurse. If it gets you no where, then discuss it with someone higher up. If she is telling this about you, just think what she may be discussing about patients!!

AmyB · Dec 25, 2003

Another HIPAA question, if you don't mind. I have just finished my first semester of nursing school. At our hospital orientation, confidentiality was drilled into our heads. Our instructors even went so far to say that we should bring NOTHING home from the hospital with any identifying info on it. This was fine with me. No problem. My problem occured when a fellow student of mine watched students from another school photocopying patients' charts. The charge nurse even gave them the passcode to the copying machine. From everything I was taught, this seemed very wrong, if not out and out illegal. Am I off base here?

Speculating · Dec 25, 2003

Originally posted by TNNURSE
I have a question.....its about HIPPA.OK.....I was injured at work .....had to have surgery.......my charge nurse (i understand) has informed people on my unit that I had surgery ....and that I am in a workers comp litigation to make the hospital care for all the injuries I received(apx 200 lb pt passed out slamming down on my spine).I take this as a blatant violation of my HIPPA law protection.Its an invasion of my privacy...its none of their bussiness.....its unethical and wrong...and illegal too isnt it?

That's touchy because she could be perceived as talking as a boss and not a nurse. If you worked for a furniture company your boss would'nt fall into a HIPAA violation. Secondly, why don't you just ask her to stop? The damage is done. If you plan on going back to work on that floor it might be a good idea not to be putting your charge nurses job in jeopardy. Think hard before you act.

jemb · Dec 25, 2003

"my charge nurse (i understand) has informed people on my unit that I had surgery ....and that I am in a workers comp litigation to make the hospital care for all the injuries I received"

TNNURSE, if you can verify that this is indeed the case, I would inform the charge nurse that I plan to submit a formal complaint to the DON with copies to HR, and intermidiate supv (if there is one). Then I would follow through with it. This is a complete breach of confidentiality, and HIPAA regs give you means to deal with it.

Speculating · Dec 25, 2003

Originally posted by AmyB
Another HIPAA question, if you don't mind. I have just finished my first semester of nursing school. At our hospital orientation, confidentiality was drilled into our heads. Our instructors even went so far to say that we should bring NOTHING home from the hospital with any identifying info on it. This was fine with me. No problem. My problem occured when a fellow student of mine watched students from another school photocopying patients' charts. The charge nurse even gave them the passcode to the copying machine. From everything I was taught, this seemed very wrong, if not out and out illegal. Am I off base here?

AmyB your allowed to do that on only one condition that you blackout anything that identifies the pt. before it leaves the premises. Otherwise, It's not just a HIPAA violation, but those nursing students doing it could get kicked out of nursing school in a second if someone finds out!

hogan4736, BSN, RN · Dec 25, 2003

Originally posted by TNNURSE
I have a question.....its about HIPPA.OK.....I was injured at work .....had to have surgery.......my charge nurse (i understand) has informed people on my unit that I had surgery ....and that I am in a workers comp litigation to make the hospital care for all the injuries I received(apx 200 lb pt passed out slamming down on my spine).I take this as a blatant violation of my HIPPA law protection.Its an invasion of my privacy...its none of their bussiness.....its unethical and wrong...and illegal too isnt it?

Who cares about HIPAA here?

Your charge nurse was wrong, AND is a *$%#@...

Plain and simple...

HIPAA SCHMIPAA

This is a conduct issue...No one needs to know your business...I don't need federal guidelines to tell me that!

I wish everyone would stop giving so much credence to HIPAA...This behavior was an outrage 20 years ago, LONG before HIPAA, and it sucked then as well...

I don't mean to launch any personal attacks, so my apologies extended to the OP, but HIPAA tells us all what we should have already been doing.

sean

BRANDY LPN · Dec 25, 2003

Another Question

If your hospital contracts a third party (company) to shred hospital records do the pts have to sign a release of info. form

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · Dec 25, 2003

Originally posted by BRANDY LPN
Another Question

If your hospital contracts a third party (company) to shred hospital records do the pts have to sign a release of info. form

No, that would seem totally unworkable.

But the hospital better be getting the contractor to sign off that they're (contractor) aware of all applicable laws and regs pertinent to the scope of their undertaking, including HIPAA, and that they agree to abide by them in carrying out the work.

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · Dec 25, 2003

Originally posted by jemb
"my charge nurse (i understand) has informed people on my unit that I had surgery ....and that I am in a workers comp litigation to make the hospital care for all the injuries I received"

TNNURSE, if you can verify that this is indeed the case, I would inform the charge nurse that I plan to submit a formal complaint to the DON with copies to HR, and intermidiate supv (if there is one). Then I would follow through with it. This is a complete breach of confidentiality, and HIPAA regs give you means to deal with it.

TNN -- Would advise that you've gotta nail down that it was truly your charge nurse that did this before moving forward. Can you get the people that overheard this person to come forward and be willing to assist you? Try and secure, at least, two actual witnesses. Sometimes this is tougher than you think.

If you can get beyond the above, then approach the NM privately and ask why she / he did this. Then proceed as you deem fit, including up the organization chart -- if that's what you believe is in your best interest.

Keysnurse2008 · Dec 25, 2003

Thank you all so much for replying.I feel AWKWARD now ....thinking about going back to work and knowing everyone knows personal health stuff about me.It may sound stupid....but I am embarrased to think they were discussing me in this way.It is a violation I feel too and i have made the NM aware ......however ....I am not so sure that she may not have contributed to it.I intend to have an attorney follow up on it.

sjoe · Dec 26, 2003

"I feel AWKWARD now ....thinking about going back to work and knowing everyone knows personal health stuff about me.It may sound stupid....but I am embarrased to think they were discussing me in this way"

For any of your co-workers with half a brain, it would be obvious to them that this is how THEY would be treated by this person under the same circumstances (and since 90% of nurses have back problems of one kind or another at some point, it could easily BE them). In other words, the breach of confidentiality was a breach of trust (and of law) by the management, and "shows their a$$," as kids say nowadays.

For those of your co-workers who don't have half a brain and can't figure this out--who needs 'em?

In My (anything but) Humble Opinion