Is it illegal to date a patient's family member (parent)?

Nurses General Nursing

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Is it illegal to date a patient's family member (parent)?

Started working home health recently and I don't know if it's illegal to date your patient's parents. Obviously, if we were to date or have any relations, it would be outside of working hours when I am not on duty. I feel like their mother is coming onto me and I was just curious about the situation. 

I work part time PRN at home health so I don't care if I lose my job/get fired; I just don't want my license to be affected.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Illegal? Probably not.

Unethical? Absolutely. Could land in hot water with both employer and BON, depending on if they reference moral turpitude when it comes to licenses and discipline.

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Rose_Queen said:

Illegal? Probably not.

Unethical? Absolutely. Could land in hot water with both employer and BON, depending on if they reference moral turpitude when it comes to licenses and discipline.

I could see how it can be argued that it is unethical but why would I get in trouble with the BON? I am not messing around on my home health job; strictly focusing on my patient. Would it be against the rules if the mom were to ask me on a date and I agree (outside of working hours)?  

I looked up moral turpitude and it seems so broad. Murder, lying, theft, etc. 

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

It's the power dynamic

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

Back in the late '80's, when I worked in alcohol & drug treatment, this was an area of concern with staff and patients and clients.

The rule was: any outside relationship- which included a business type of relationship- was to wait until six months after the professional relationship ended before pursuing a personal relationship with those served.

It is written, "love loves an obstacle" which often attracts couples to one another- the forbidden fruit thing.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
carti said:

I could see how it can be argued that it is unethical but why would I get in trouble with the BON?

Because it's unethical.

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Davey Do said:

Back in the late '80's, when I worked in alcohol & drug treatment, this was an area of concern with staff and patients and clients.

The rule was: any outside relationship- which included a business type of relationship- was to wait until six months after the professional relationship ended before pursuing a personal relationship with those served.

It is written, "love loves an obstacle" which often attracts couples to one another- the forbidden fruit thing.

Interesting rule. But I would never risk my career dating a patient; I figured a patient's mother would be a different scenario LOL. 

And since I work PRN ( will probably be leaving to a different company next month anyways), I'm not even working full time with the patient since I have other patient's I visit for home health. 

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
carti said:

And since I work PRN ( will probably be leaving to a different company next month anyways), I'm not even working full time with the patient since I have other patient's I visit for home health. 

You're doing some serious mental gymnastics there to justify it. Why not just find a different job so you're not taking care of her kid, then ask her out?

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klone said:

Because it's unethical.

I mean talking smack about a patient (literally hear that from ER nurses everyday) behind their backs is unethical but you don't see them getting in trouble with the BON. Would be unethical if I quit my case with this current patient if I were to pursue relations with their mother? Or still? 

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Specializes in ER.

If things went south in a relationship with your patient's mother, expect some fireworks that could damage your professional life. Yes, people make false complaints that are retaliatory to the Boards of Nursing.

At the very least, this would be extremely unwise. Steer clear!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

I would ask your employer to not assign you to that patient any more.  Family members coming on to a nurse and sending these vibes is not appropriate.  You're responding to it on working hours is not appropriate.  At best it would be awkward to date your patient's mother while stilling having the patient.  

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carti said:

Started working home health recently and I don't know if it's illegal to date your patient's parents. Obviously, if we were to date or have any relations, it would be outside of working hours when I am not on duty. I feel like their mother is coming onto me and I was just curious about the situation. 

I work part time PRN at home health so I don't care if I lose my job/get fired; I just don't want my license to be affected.

That is why company policies say you cannot date your patients. I would think they should include family members too. It is a conflict of interest. If a relationship existed before, it is the duty of the nurse to inform their supervisor before patient assignment started. This hands off policy protects everyone from suffering due to possible effect on the patient.

It protects the facility and nurse from possible social and legal risks if the relationship/care goes bad and the romantic partner blames the relationship for it. That can cause collateral damage to their license or finances.

There should definitely be a no romance with family policy of pediatric patients as the child is more vulnerable. 
Doing extra-curricular activity in homehealth can be even worse because there were no witnesses of the truth.

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