I violated HIPAA while talking about the news!

JMA-RN2B · Aug 23, 2009

Did you care for the victim or the people tried for the crime? What medical relationship did you have to these people? I you didn't violate HIPPA if it is published knowledge and you didn't give medical details that were not in the court records.

allnurses Guide · Aug 23, 2009

How does she think it's violating HIPAA if you weren't looking after these people?

caliotter3 · Aug 23, 2009

If you weren't caring for these people then it wasn't a HIPAA violation. If it were, there would be plenty of people and institutions facing criminal and civil penalties in the nation today. You can talk about anything that you want to in the privacy of your own home when you have no legal ties to the subject you are discussing. Your daughter spoke off the top of her head.

KarynicaRN · Aug 23, 2009

Let me just clarify. The people in question were never in my care at any facility. They were never my patients/residents or even friends. Hope this

helps :)

I remember back in nursing school being taught about privacy and how just being in an elevator and talking about someone without even mentioning their name could give away important information, especially if someone in the elevator could be a family member.

I just can't believe my daughter being the "professional" that she is could spout off something so ridiculous to me. I did tell her that I was talking about an event that happened back in 2004 and that everyone in the community knows about this event because it was covered all over our state because it could have caused someone to lose their life.

I think I might just tell my daughter she needs to read up on HIPAA again. Obviously she doesn't know much about it.

Divest · Aug 23, 2009

Maybe she didn't mean it literally, but was trying to bug you.

In this particular instance, I don't know who to trust. You seem to discredit her by saying that she's a drug user and an alcoholic and not a professional, but that could just mean her parents are wound up so tight and are so displaced from her generation that they look down on her for the differences.

What I mean to say is this: My buddy is often described as this RAGING ALCOHOLIC and a DRUGGIE by his parents. Often I hear them talk about him to their friends. They'll say things like they're going to turn him in, or send him to rehab if he doesn't recover. They pretty much disown him and put him down at every chance they get. They say things to him like "Well maybe you should stop doing D-R-U-G-S." Insisting that it's affecting his work performance whenever he has a bad day. He doesn't use while at work, mind you.

The reality of the situation is that he's 24, drinks quite a bit (Friday, Saturday, and the occassional weekday whenever there's a special occassion) and smokes pot. He's 24 for christ's sake. He's going to be drinking, partying, and having fun because he's of that age. He keeps a job, he has finished most of his education, and he's very responsible. By no means is he a druggie, alcoholic, or anything else simply because he likes to go out and have fun. Sure, he may get carried away sometimes and have a little bit TOO much fun, but that's not withstanding. I don't drink or smoke pot, but I can tell you that by no means do I look down at him for doing so. If I enjoyed those things, I wouldn't hesitate to do them simply because my parents were so far detached from my generation that they criticized my every choice.

If I had parents criticizing my every choice, acting like the world still revolves around films like reefer madness, and putting me down for the way I like to have fun, you're damn straight I would be obnoxious and try to get under their skin whenever I had the opportunity.

Now, I'm not saying that this is your situation, but I don't feel comfortable sitting back and assuming that you're not as equally as guilty as your daughter is. You did, after all, spend the first half of your post putting her down.

mcleanl · Aug 23, 2009

Kary,

With all due respect.....don't you have any bigger fish to fry?

KarynicaRN · Aug 23, 2009

ok, I see that some people are not understanding nor maybe have I given the correct

information.

My daughter tries to discredit me all the time in front of others. She has tried in the

past to make me look like an idiot, much to her displeasure. If you could just see her

room, those of you who are nurses would probably call public health.

How would you feel if your daughter is always in trouble with the law? Has a rap sheet?

Is known around town as the "drunk"...and she has the nerve to call me out claiming

I am violating HIPAA.

I guess I came to the wrong place to talk about this. I won't bring up my private life

again.

Tait, MSN, RN · Aug 23, 2009

ok, I see that some people are not understanding nor maybe have I given the correct
information.
My daughter tries to discredit me all the time in front of others. She has tried in the
past to make me look like an idiot, much to her displeasure. If you could just see her
room, those of you who are nurses would probably call public health.
How would you feel if your daughter is always in trouble with the law? Has a rap sheet?
Is known around town as the "drunk"...and she has the nerve to call me out claiming
I am violating HIPAA.
I guess I came to the wrong place to talk about this. I won't bring up my private life
again.

Kary,

Don't stress :) I understand, you are venting and that is ok :)

As to the original question, no you didn't violate HIPPA, at all. Your daughter has a misunderstanding of HIPPA, and potentially may need a refresher from work since she is now a supervisor. I would hope a supervisor would have a very clear understanding of HIPPA since it applies every single day.

As to the additional stresses, I am sorry your daughter embarrasses you in your community, and I am sorry that she is also battling addictions. I hope in the future she will seek help, even if it may not be from you, and that you can mend your relationship to a more respectful one.

Take care!

:icon_hug:

Tait

abbaking · Aug 23, 2009

Sounds like you and your daughter need to have a serious chat - More importantly this all sounds like he said/she said nit picking.

Your whole post seems like you are having a power stuggle with your daughter - and has nothing to do with HIPAA.

Spare us all

allnurses Guide · Aug 23, 2009

What I mean to say is this: My buddy is often described as this RAGING ALCOHOLIC and a DRUGGIE by his parents... The reality of the situation is that he's 24, drinks quite a bit (Friday, Saturday, and the occassional weekday whenever there's a special occassion) and smokes pot. By no means is he a druggie

Well, depends on your definition, but if he uses drugs, regardless of whether he's a drug abuser... he actually is a "druggie".

BabyLady, BSN, RN · Aug 23, 2009

She clearly doesn't know what HIPAA means either.

At my hospital, we have had a couple of "odd" births that have made the paper.

As long as I talk about what has been published, I am not violating HIPAA.

I was recently at a seminar and those of mixed departments was at my table, someone asked about one of our births...before I started the conversation, I said, "It's been in the paper, but what I can tell you is...." and I only talked about the medical updates that had been published or on the news.

That way, others at the table, knew I wasn't in violation as well.

HIPAA is not a mystery...it's simple. I have noticed that people that claim to be "HIPAA experts" are the most clueless because they think everything is a violation...and it's not.