In fear of losing my license.

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Hello everyone, I have a question. I was chatting with this guy, and the conversation turned sexual. When I rejected him, he threatened to send the chat to my manager and to the board of nursing. Could this make me lose my license or my job? There were no revealing images shared on my part or anything. It was just a chat.

Thank you!

Thank you. The chat was not on a work computer, it was my personal computer.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

He's full of crap. You cannot lose your job for a personal conversation you had. If that were true a lot of us would be out of work. How did you imagine this would make you lose your license?

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Specializes in critical care ICU.

Given the information you provided:

1) it wasn't a patient or coworker

2) it was on your own time using your own computer

3) it had nothing to do with actually practicing nursing

4) you didn't talk negatively about your employer or your coworkers or your patients

5) you didn't violate HIPAA

You're fine :) I don't see any violations. If by some very small chance your manager finds out...the worst you will suffer is him/her knowing you are sex chatting during your days off...embarrassing but not punishable. Your license will be fine.

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Specializes in ICU.

Not on company property and not a coworker?? OMG!! Tell him you are calling the police for harassment and intimidation. Seriously.

And seriously, learn the rules of your license. It saddens me you don't and you actually think you could lose it over some idiot.

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If he threatened me, I'd call and tell him my supervisor's full name, and remind him my name is spelled with a C, not a K, but that if he does so, I will file a police report and restraining order.

If this is some random guy online, you're dumb as hell for handing out personal information.

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Specializes in critical care ICU.
And seriously, learn the rules of your license. It saddens me you don't and you actually think you could lose it over some idiot.

To the OP: this might help! Link: Find Your Nurse Practice Act | NCSBN

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

Hah. Tell him to do what he wants, because you will be speaking to the police about it. Your license and job are both safe....he is the one risking legal problems here.

He must be a sad, sad person to have to be making threats just because someone rejected his advances.

Edit: in fact, (I think) that depending on what state you are in, he has already broken the law. In some states, intimidation itself is a criminal act or a civil offense.

If I was in one of those states, I'd be sure and scare the pants off him with that fact!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Unfortunately, increasing numbers of employers ARE looking at all manners of social media to judge their employees and potential hires. Is it fair or right? Well that is for the reader to decide, but it's a fact. I don't think you will lose your license over this, as it was not a relationship that endangered patients or involved them, nor violated HIPAA. But you may lose your job, if it's discovered. Depends on employer and what specifically, they consider "unsavory".

He sounds sick and like he is stalking you. I would involve law enforcement and tackle it from that end. It sounds like harassment.

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Thank you everyone for your feedback!!

I will definitely look more into my license and what it entails to lose it. I've done some research, but just wanted to check.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

Sexual relationships are legal...coercion into sexual relationships is not. He's the one who should be afraid.

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Yup- this license thing is a common theme. Those things are pretty durable. Don't just read the nurse practice act- Have a look at those who have lost their licenses, and what they did.

On another note..... I am kind of old, so maybe my perspective is different.

As far as I can tell, digital is permanent. It is probably not a good idea to make a permanent record of something you don't want made public, then give it to somebody you barely know. Or to give it to anybody, unless you plan to trust them with your well-being for the rest of your life.

I know, not the original question.

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"Private" chats are not "social media" in the sense that FB, Twitter, and Instagram are and employers would not usually be privy to those if the two parties keep it private. However, anything you say in e-mail or text messaging can be used against you, as many naive persons have discovered once the bloom is off the relationship.

I really hope you have learned a lesson about trusting others and keeping ALL of your electronic communications clean.

I think your license is safe. But if your chat buddy releases your chats to your boss or anyone you know, you might certainly be embarrassed and some of them will lose respect for you, depending on their personal values.

That's a shame, for sure.

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