HIPPA violation or not?

SFCardiacRN · Oct 11, 2005

All patients have a right to privacy. Violating this trust is a moral and legal tort. Reporting a nurse for being high at work is another issue.

rogramjet · Oct 11, 2005

Whether that patient is a nurse, a police officer, or the President, he/she needs to expect confidentiality. The fact that this nurse is seeking treatment is a positive step. A nurse caring for her cannot tell anyone. This would definately be a HIPPA violation.

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Oct 11, 2005

In class recently we discussed certain instances that we have either heard about or experienced and whether or not they violated HIPPA. The one that I found the most interesting was the case in which a nurse from one hospital went to another hospital for detox for ICE (aka Meth). Can the nurse that is taking caring of her anonymously report her? Does this violate HIPPA?

This is absolutely a HIPPA violation.

pricklypear · Oct 11, 2005

I totally agree, it would be a definite HIPAA violation. Doesn't matter who the patient is, or what they do for a living.

blueheaven · Oct 11, 2005

It would most certainly be a HIPAA violation. I worked in a Psych Hospital and a substantial number of our clients were healthcare workers who were there for a number of reasons. More than one expressed to me the fear that "someone would go to the board" because they were there.

Nemhain · Oct 12, 2005

I'll just join the choir...

Yes, this would violate HIPPA in a very big way. The nurse who breaks this confidentiality would most likely lose her job. Something such as this isn't even subject to debate; the laws are clear and well defined.

However, if the addicted nurse mentions to a coworker "yeah, I'm in detox for Meth..." then that coworker can certainly mention this to a supervisor.

sjb2005 · Oct 12, 2005

In addition, the supervisor or the nurse manager can investigate and report the nurse to the BON if there are signs of pt endangerment on the job due to observed impairment. Otherwise stay closed lip.