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Discussion

Is this a Hipaa Violation?

my friend has this on facebook.

‎@ Recovery- rape victim came in w/ lady partsl lasceration(= ripped; sry 4 da spelling), while intoxicated. i think da rapist should stil be charged da same amt nonetheless.

@ recovery rm- tuberculosis pt came from the OR. Used disinfectant tissue & gloves 4 t hold things, wipe down everything w/ alcohol pads, then used han sanitizer- over cautious 4 a nurse t b rn't i?

she also has her workplace and department posted.

at the very least, it is unprofessional

actually i just noticed there's a lot of post on the subject.

Im just wondering what I should do?

I don't work with her she's a clerk.

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    • Featured Replies

    OMG!!! I would NEVER do this...... Some people do not realize how easy it is to be identified on the internet..Your friend really shouldn't post things like this.....

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    I would think it is a violation...she has her workplace and department listed, people know who she is...and it is violating the patient's right even though she isn't saying the person's name, there aren't always a handful of rape victim's coming in, it may be just that one for that day...but she basically shouldn't be posting "charts" for everyone's reading...that's why they have newspapers...

    what if the rape victim patient was still in recovery and the rapist was reading the facebook page and decided to "finish things off" because this nurse has all her info there ??? That nurse is putting the patient at risk! Very unacceptable!!!

    You should let your friend know she is putting this patient at jeopardy and to remove these remarks for her own safety and before she loses her license.

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    what if the rape victim patient was still in recovery and the rapist was reading the facebook page and decided to "finish things off" because this nurse has all her info there ??? That nurse is putting the patient at risk! Very unacceptable!!!

    You should let your friend know she is putting this patient at jeopardy and to remove these remarks for her own safety and before she loses her license.

    I totally AGREE...she should remove those status updates!!!

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    At the very least it is stupid and could get her fired. I'm in agreement that since her dept and workplace is posted, it is very likely this is a violation. Had she only posted that info without names, dept or workplace, maybe she would be ok.

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    I would pm her and suggest she take them down.

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    • Experts

    Regardless of whether its a HIPAA violation or not, people are getting fired for this kind of thing more and more.

    I don't get the whole "work stuff on Facebook" thing in the first place -- would this person write this stuff on a piece of paper and post it on the bulletin board at the local supermarket???? (I certainly hope not ...) If not, then why would someone post it on the internet, where countless more people have access to it??

    (Also, if I'm deciphering the textspeak gibberish correctly (probably not :)), did the "clerk" friend refer to herself as a "nurse" in the comment about the client with TB?)

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    No, as a student or prospective student.

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    It might be a HIPAA violation if it were written in a language known to man, but since it seems to be in some secret code indiscernible to any other person, I think your friend is alright.

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    My line of thought is simple...

    If you have to ask yourself "Is this right?", it probably ain't.

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    I only have 5 people as friends on FB that I work with. Three of them I went to nursing school with and were FB friends with them prior to us getting hired at the same hospital.

    The other two I met at work. One is a RT, the other is a SW. I do NOT post anything regarding pts I have taken care of at work on FB. I may say something like "getting ready for another long weeked", but that's as far as I go when it comes to posting anything about work.

    Your friend is threading a very fine line. I would think it's a HIPAA violation because she's given specific details, and whoever work with her can easily know who she is referring to.

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    She should not be posting anything related to a patient that was given care at her hospital. This is a HIPAA violation. If one so chose to do so, they would just have to look up the police reports/warrants/complaints for the day the patient came in and put the name to the patient. This is identifying information. I am in disbelief. That poor patient! And for the sake of what?

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