So, my dh and some friends go out the other night to dinner. My hubby's bff, whom we'll call dick, has a girlfriend, who we'll call jane. Dick and Jane have been dating for one month, but according to them, it was love at first sight and they have spent every waking moment together, already planning to get married, buy a house, etc.
Anyway, we're waiting for our dinner to arrive, and Jane pulls out a piece of paper with lab values written on it. WBC's, K+, Na-,etc. Jane hands it to Dick, and Dick says, "what's this?" Jane (a nurse at our local hospital) says, "Oh, I got bored the other night and looked up your labs. I wrote down the abnormal ones." Dick had recently gotten hurt at work, went to the ED, and blood was drawn I assume to check for drugs/etoh since it was a worker's comp claim. Jane hands me the piece of paper as if I'm interested in Dick's labs. (I'm a 3rd semester ADN student). Dick says, "Well, what else did you learn?" and Jane says, "Well, I know you broke your ankle in 2005," etc. etc. This girl rattled off a pretty complete medical history. In the middle of a restaurant. With (basically) complete strangers. While she does know that I am a nursing student, she had no idea what my dh does for a living. I mean, what if he worked for JCAHO or something? Geez. He doesn't, but you know what I mean! This girl has guts!
Dick does not seem to think this is a big deal at all. If anything, he finds it amusing that Jane is interested and cares. Dick does not work in the medical field. Dick does not know what HIPAA means. Nothing.
Jane seems like a sweet girl, but this is unethical. Illegal. Immoral? She could lose her job for sure. Maybe her license? I don't know. Should I tell Dick about HIPAA and fines, and just plain old fashioned ethics?
30 more posts on how wrong it is does not seem necessary as even the OP as a 3rd semester ADN student ALREADY KNOWS it's wrong. What does seem to be important is giving this young lady solid advice on how to handle the situation.
I totally agree. My point was that if they are together in a social situation again and Jane starts running her mouth with HIPPA violations, IMO, I would simply tell her. Remember HIPPA? You could easily get fired, knock if off. That's just what I would do. Anything else is between Jane and her employer and between Dick and Jane and I whole heartedly agree Run Dick Run!
Making comments to "jane, Dick and/or Janes hospital administration can do nothing to benefit papergirl. In the end it could cause issues down the road.
So somebody has to benefit from something to do the right thing? Obviously this incident bothered the OP enough that she wanted some advice on it. If she wanted to report it and was afraid of future repercussions, she could always report it anonymously.
I don't think that advising a new nurse or a student to essentially mind their own business when confronted with a wrong-doing is very supportive.
Jane seems like a sweet girl, but this is unethical. Illegal. Immoral? She could lose her job for sure. Maybe her license? I don't know. Should I tell Dick about HIPAA and fines, and just plain old fashioned ethics?
What are your thoughts??
What you missed was the opportunity to respond to Jane at your dinner with:
"Wow, you really like to live dangerously, don't you? Do you have another job lined up already? You know hospital IT dept. can track your unauthorized viewing and most hospitals will then fire you on the spot. Does Dick know you're an adrenalin junkie?"
But since that opportunity has passed, chalk it up as a learning experience and enjoy the sideline viewing of the further adventures of Dick and Jane . . .
I have definitely chalked this up as a learning experience.
Initially, I did not want to talk to her about it because she is a nurse and I am 'just' a student. And we all know that student nurses see nurses do things that nurses just aren't supposed to do, at least according to our nursing fundamentals instructor, lol. The difference between 'school world' and 'real world', you know. And I'm quite sure that there is nothing more annoying than a student telling a nurse that he or she is 'doing it wrong'. Honestly, if this girl had sat there at the dinner table and told me she recapped dirty needles at work all night, I wouldn't have said anything to HER about it(HAHA J/K). The fact of the matter is, she has a license and should know better.
As I said, I know it's wrong. The student in me just wanted some opinions on the severity of the crime.
I think she'll hang herself one day. And don't get me wrong, I try to be a nice person. If I really thought she was UNAWARE of her illegal actions, I'd say something and try to set her straight, whether i was a student or was a phd. But as was mentioned already, you can't work in a hospital today and not know. My worries are about Dick and the kind of person he has fallen for.
what is jane like 15? seriously. what she did was sooo wrong in so many ways. lets just whip out this lab work in public and start rattling off what she found. what if dick wasn't so pleased? we all make mistakes in life but this is just blatent disreguard for the rules. you don't know janie very well, i would give the hospital a ring and let them know what you saw. she knows better:nono:
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I would also chalk it up as a learning experience. Thank goodness you saw as a student how this can get out of hand, the seriousness of this as well as how often you will actually see nurses and physicians not honor this. I see if more often than I care to. I remember once, a woman came to me and asked if certain patient was in the clinic. I was so nervous about breaking HIPPA that I took her name, found the patient and asked if he wanted to see her before I got them together.
I do think that while this nurse is cognitive of HIPPA, she clearly thinks that what she did is okay because she is dating this man. She should have at least asked him first, and then presented the information to him in private.
So, my dh and some friends go out the other night to dinner. My hubby's bff, whom we'll call dick, has a girlfriend, who we'll call jane. Dick and Jane have been dating for one month, but according to them, it was love at first sight and they have spent every waking moment together, already planning to get married, buy a house, etc.
And looking up his PMH? This chick has STALKER written all over her.poor Dick!
What other lovely little conversation starters did she come up with?
If you are going to have a long-term relationship with this person, if it is possible she might someday be your mentor, supervisor, charge nurse, whatever at work - think twice before approaching her about this.
If the happy couple breaks up, file an anonymous complaint with her boss. Or file it now if you like. Yes, we should always be forthright, candid, and bold. We should also pick our battles and remember that discretion is the better part of valor.
Honestly, if this girl had sat there at the dinner table and told me she recapped dirty needles at work all night, I wouldn't have said anything to HER about it(HAHA J/K). The fact of the matter is, she has a license and should know better.
DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN
3,932 Posts
I totally agree. My point was that if they are together in a social situation again and Jane starts running her mouth with HIPPA violations, IMO, I would simply tell her. Remember HIPPA? You could easily get fired, knock if off. That's just what I would do. Anything else is between Jane and her employer and between Dick and Jane and I whole heartedly agree Run Dick Run!