HIPPA violation if the patient isn't in your facility?

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The situation: A nurse knows a friend is pregnant and outs the pregnancy on Facebook. The patient goes to a different hospital and doesn't receive care in the same facility the nurse works in. The information was obtained through the patient themselves but was expecting the nurse to keep the information private. is I still a violation of medical information/HIPPA violation if the patient doesn't recover care in the same facility the nurse works at?

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No, not a HIPAA violation.

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Even if the pregnant lady had not publically announced the pregnancy yet? She was6 weeks pregnant and the nurse announced to about 400 people via the persons Facebook page.

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Specializes in ICU.

Absolutely not a HIPAA violation. Sucks that she outed her friends pregnancy, but thats about it.

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Specializes in Oncology.

No. A jerk move but that's it. HIPAA only applies to information you obtained due to your unique situation as a healthcare provider.

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

BTW: this really helped me:

https://allnurses.com/hipaa-nursing-challenges/how-to-remember-1134788.html

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That is what I thought. I'm the pregnant lady and another "friend". Announced my pregnancy via Facebook to all my husband and my friends. She's a nurse a knows better. But technically I didn't think it was a violation just a dick move. I wasn't totally sure though.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

What would make it a HIPAA violation?

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Thank you!!

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
That is what I thought. I'm the pregnant lady and another "friend". Announced my pregnancy via Facebook to all my husband and my friends. She's a nurse a knows better. But technically I didn't think it was a violation just a dick move. I wasn't totally sure though.

"Knowing better" has nothing to do with being a nurse, it has to do with being a friend! Congratulations on your pregnancy, best wishes for smooth sailing.

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I wasn't sure if it was or not. If the pregnant patient was receiving care at the facility the nurse worked at it would be. But I guess if you spread private medical information about someone who isn't going to the facility you work at it doesn't count?

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Thank you so much! I just figured since she was a nurse the concept of private medical information would be very familiar to her. I wasn't sure if spreading private medical information only applied if the patient was receiving care in the same facility. So she's off the hook on a technicality. One dude of me wants to complain to her boss because she knew we weren't telling anyone. But I guess she didn't do anything professionally wrong.

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