I'm seeing a lot of unprofessional posting here related to venting about patients

[Garethaus]

Hi,

I'm just a newbie here but I have to comment on what I'm seeing here. Specifically nurses sharing their stories of their interactions with difficult patients.

Surely it is unprofessional to be sharing patient details? Even with the names changed, enough specific details are being provided by certain nurses that could identify a patient.

Anyone can access this website. Any patient can check out this website. I admit, the chances are not great that this will happen, but it could happen.

I don't think it is appropriate or professional to post here and ***** about patients, difficult or not.

Usually the unprofessional offenders mention that they just gotta vent. I don't think as nurses / nurse students collectively we should be initiating some of the threads here; or participating in them. I think nurses who have to ***** about a patient should find a more appropriate outlet to do so.

Just my two cents.

[uRNmyway, ASN, RN]

I personally have never seen a post that could identify a patient definitively. Either the members are smart enough not to violate HIPAA, or the mods get 'em for breaking TOS. But you know what? Sometimes I wish patients or their family members WOULD see some of the vents on inappropriate behavior they had, and SEE what they do to us, how childish/ridiculous/borderline illegal the things they do and say are! Granted, some of them wouldn't care I'm sure. But maybe, just maybe it would help change something.

Students, first, like others have said, you don't go to someone else's house and tell them how wrong everything they do and say is. It is beyond rude. You don't like it? Don't go.

Second, believe me my pritties, you'll soon get it....MUAHAHAHAHAHA!

[T-Bird78]

You'll understand and have stories of your own one day soon. This is the internet, the WORLD wide web, so there's no telling where in the world these posts are coming from. I've seen people in England and the Philippines posting here, so it's not just the US. If I'm griping about my asthma pt that comes in regularly c/o SOB and ineffective medications and reeks of cigarette smoke, you have no idea where I'm at to even begin to narrow down which pt I could be griping about. And if patients DO visit this site, maybe they'll see some of the gripes and learn from us. :)

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

Truth is, some of those who are protecting their right to post questionably personal information about patients are no doubt folks who have never had *their* personal health information shared, debated and judged in a public forum - primarily because they feel protected by the very policies they come so close to violating here.

Please show me a post on here where a nurse has shared details about a patient where someone could identify said patient. Not a "wow, could be someone I know" post. A post where the patient is identified. Guess what? Doesn't exist on this site.

Suppose I say "I was taking care of a patient today with appendicitis. He made the most ridiculous demands of the staff. Not to mention that his mother was totally overbearing. She etc, etc... Has any other nurses here been in a similar situation." That in NO way identifies the pt. Even if that pt was here and read my remarks, he would not know for sure that it was him. It could be one of thousands of patients in America. Plus, my guess is, moderators would immediately deal with a post that even has a remote chance of violating HIPAA.

[Beautiful Mind RN]

I would just like to point out, not all nursing students have blinds over there eyes and think in one, particular way about HIPPA or have that "I am better than thou" attitudes towards the experienced nurses. I surely hope that some of the nurses who posted earlier in this thread does not apply that stereotype to all nursing students, as I would not like to be bundled up in that group.

I am quite aware of my 'place', despite my hospital experience. I know I have YET to enter into the culture of nursing and despite the education I am receiving, that is just a foundation of what is to come.

Perhaps it is because I worked so closely with nurses (experienced and new alike), that I take my approach as a student nurse as a humble one and instead of opening my mouth, I listen, INTENTLY, with BOTH ears to all of those who offer their experience, knowledge, etc...to me.

And to the fellow nursing students (and new grads), I hope you would take my word as a piece of advice and follow my lead. So you will not end up creating that certain stereotype that I mentioned above and to prevent threads (and OPs) like these from occurring.

(Or at least happening less frequently).

Respect all around, that's my motto!

[Boxer Mama]

Even though I am not even an "official" nursing student yet, I can absolutely see the need to vent, having worked in different parts of the healthcare field. The OP would be very shocked that on a medical transcription forum, an MT posted a direct quote from a patient's chart and then proceeded to make fun of her (her company name was listed under her avatar as well) because of a mental health issue. As per the forum directors, no violations were made in that situation as well. I have never once on this forum read anything that made fun of patients or even had any information that could be related to a specific person. I personally value these stories because I know situations like these are ahead of me, and it is nice to see the support you can receive here.

I can also see the attitudes that the experienced nurses are referring to, as I can see this from group projects with "younger" students. The older I get the less I know, and I also have heard be careful to point a finger at someone as there are three pointing back at you. Thank you for all the advice here, and I very much enjoy reading all the threads.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

My comment was not against students. I think 99% of students are wonderful. It was against anybody telling nurses they shouldn't vent on a nursing forum which is really the only safe place for nurses to do it and with people that understand.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I agree that it seems counter productive to come to a nursing forum and complain about nurses....but the OP either feels strongly about this or they wanted to start a dialog/debate.....maybe for an assignment. We need to be respectful of others opinions and disagree politely.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

I am being polite Esme. You don't want to hear what I really think!:***:

[tewdles, RN]

What may seem like a great deal of specific information about an individual patient to the reader may, in fact, be a combination of patients rolled into one. If that would dilute the purpose of the post the specific details are generally changed adequately to avoid identification (for instance, changing the age, gender, race, location...all will serve to protect patients)without impairing the ability to get good feedback or responses.

You the reader will not know what is real, what is truth, and what is unreal or made up...only the OP knows.

Don't assume...

[ComeTogether, LPN]

I 100% agree with the OP. Sometimes, I read some of the grossly detailed patient information

here and I cringe. This is such a violation of HIPAA and is extremely unprofessional.

Patient information should be protected at all cost no ands, ifs, or buts about it.

You need to get your facts straight. If there is no mention of the persons name or hospitals name it is NOT a violation. Seriously!!

[wooh, BSN, RN]

If I'm griping about my asthma pt that comes in regularly c/o SOB and ineffective medications and reeks of cigarette smoke,

I know EXACTLY who you're talking about! Obviously there's only ONE person like that. :)

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I am being polite Esme. You don't want to hear what I really think!:***:

.....you are funny......I was not directing it to you Crunch....((HUGS)) now put the key board down and back away slowly....LOL;)