Husband Worried

caliotter3 · Jun 22, 2011

Sounds like you could use a hubby chauffeur.

Staragate, ADN, ASN, RN · Jun 22, 2011

Call the home office and husband when you get there. Give time estimate. If they don't hear from you in x amount of time, then they will know where you are. Husband will be your backup... he'll nag the home office until they ensure your safety. I wouldn't trust coworkers with my safety, but I would trust my supervisor. They have a lot to lose if you get hurt.

allnurses Guide · Jun 22, 2011

Sounds like you could use a hubby chauffeur.

I agree wholeheartedly. Not sure a mere address is a violation anyway.

caliotter3 · Jun 22, 2011

Personally I would not be concerned with HIPAA when it comes to my safety. I am certain the OP's husband would understand that he is not to make a big deal out of knowing any of the addresses that his wife visits during the course of her job. Sometimes you have to be prudent in the face of circumstances you can't change. Otherwise, do not do home health care.

kittypie · Jun 22, 2011

Thanks for your replies - Hubby Chauffeur - Actually, we have seriously thought about him driving me around because he works from home and has the flexibility. I would actually get to see more pt's this way because I would go further out than I would alone, and I wouldn't get so worn out from the driving. Have you heard of any couples doing this? Problem is, it is way too hot for him to sit in the car while I do the tx, and I don't think the company would allow it anyway. I suppose the only way around this is if I worked as a contractor rather than prn employee, and the understanding is that husband comes along as my driver and waits in the home - away from the tx area (?)

As for just reporting to him the address where I am going, I am starting to think - the only way anyone would find out is if something actually did happen and hubby had to call 911. In that case, HIPAA would be our last concern.

Have also considered using a 2-way radio with him whenever I get out of the car. I think the mere sight of me using 2-way radio would stop a lot of perps. Any more thoughts?

I think I will love home health, but in this day and age we need to be very proactive. The supervisor there is a major scatterbrain. There is no way I would depend on her

caliotter3 · Jun 22, 2011

The company would not disapprove if they did not know. In view of all the stuff I have come across that nurses in the field do and do not tell the company, I would not offer them this information. Have your husband take a big, big cooler filled with ice to help keep cool and keep the windows down in the car while waiting. He can get out of the car and walk around if it can be done discreetly. I would not have him park directly in front of your address, but two or three houses down or across the street. If your husband can do this for you, I think it would go a long way toward making the job ok. After awhile, both of you will probably come to the conclusion that he no longer needs to drive you around. You will be able to scale down your safety effort. Good luck and hope you enjoy hh.

caliotter3 · Jun 22, 2011

I would not take him into the home with you. It would not be long until one of the clients mentions something to the office. The employer would more than likely not allow this as they would say it is too much of an invasion of the client's privacy (although I have known of nurses who have taken family members into the client home when they have a long term relationship with the client and all parties do not care what the agency thinks or says).

KateRN1 · Jun 22, 2011

Honestly, if you're both squicked out about it that much, home care is not the right field for you. Consider shift work instead, where you spend a set amount of time in on patient's home.

allnurses Guide · Jun 23, 2011

Thanks for your replies - Hubby Chauffeur - Actually, we have seriously thought about him driving me around because he works from home and has the flexibility. I would actually get to see more pt's this way because I would go further out than I would alone, and I wouldn't get so worn out from the driving. Have you heard of any couples doing this? Problem is, it is way too hot for him to sit in the car while I do the tx, and I don't think the company would allow it anyway. I suppose the only way around this is if I worked as a contractor rather than prn employee, and the understanding is that husband comes along as my driver and waits in the home - away from the tx area (?)
As for just reporting to him the address where I am going, I am starting to think - the only way anyone would find out is if something actually did happen and hubby had to call 911. In that case, HIPAA would be our last concern.
Have also considered using a 2-way radio with him whenever I get out of the car. I think the mere sight of me using 2-way radio would stop a lot of perps. Any more thoughts?
I think I will love home health, but in this day and age we need to be very proactive. The supervisor there is a major scatterbrain. There is no way I would depend on her

We had a thread here a while back discussing whether or not someone other than you knowing where the patient/client's home is - is actually a HIPAA violation. Cars break down, batteries die, you are getting a ride to work, etc. You aren't supposed to call the Auto Club if you need a battery jump? I think if you apply the rules of common sense and weigh the risks vs benefits your ultimate decision will be just fine.

As to whether he should drive you from place to place - I haven't heard of that but I live in a gi-normous city and I don't think I would inflict Sir Galahad himself with that traffic torture. :) You could get one of those GPS locators they have for kids . .

Trauma Columnist · Jun 23, 2011

what about enabling your GPS locator on your phone and activating the parent controls which allow for location for the phone?

homehealth_rn · Jul 4, 2011

There's really no way he could drive you around without you breaking a HIPAA law. I don't know about everyone else, but I'm on my cell all day calling MD offices, supervisors, MSW, other nurses, lab, etc regarding patients. Your husband would hear every conversation and would more than likely end up seeing some charts. A situation like this occured recently at my agency when a nurse had her boyfriend riding with her and she took him into patients' homes. This is completely unacceptable. How would you feel if a nurse came into your home with a strange man? Bringing your husband into a patient's home, even if he's not in the "treatment area" is an invasion of privacy.

By the way, the nurse at my agency is in a lot of trouble and the only reason she didn't get fired is because she has not ever been in trouble in the past.