Is this a safety concern?

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care.

I recently had to be tested for covid at my own testing site due to some nausea I had while at work. One of my coworkers tested me and when I got home, I looked at my online chart just to see what it looks like to our patients (not in the hospital system, it's an online version of your chart that you can access at home). I've never really paid much attention to the notes section in this program but I happened to look at it. When I did, my coworkers full name and picture was on the note and it made me wonder if this is a safe practice. Right now, we're seeing hundreds of people per day at this testing site. Sometimes they're unhappy with us due to wait times, line lengths, testing protocols, etc. Would you guys raise this to your one-ups? I'm a little more than concerned that this amount of patients have our full names and photos. Even our badges don't list our full last name. What do y'all think? 

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Specializes in RETIRED Cath Lab/Cardiology/Radiology.

I think it is a privacy and safety concern and yes I would ask Manager and if you receive an unsatisfactory response, perhaps ask Risk Management.

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care.
1 minute ago, dianah said:

I think it is a privacy and safety concern and yes I would ask Manager and if you receive an unsatisfactory response, perhaps ask Risk Management.

Thanks so much! I wasn't sure if this was common practice or if I was just being paranoid but it really bothered me that I could see her full name and picture. 

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Specializes in ER, Pre-Op, PACU.
4 hours ago, Sbhayes09 said:

I recently had to be tested for covid at my own testing site due to some nausea I had while at work. One of my coworkers tested me and when I got home, I looked at my online chart just to see what it looks like to our patients (not in the hospital system, it's an online version of your chart that you can access at home). I've never really paid much attention to the notes section in this program but I happened to look at it. When I did, my coworkers full name and picture was on the note and it made me wonder if this is a safe practice. Right now, we're seeing hundreds of people per day at this testing site. Sometimes they're unhappy with us due to wait times, line lengths, testing protocols, etc. Would you guys raise this to your one-ups? I'm a little more than concerned that this amount of patients have our full names and photos. Even our badges don't list our full last name. What do y'all think? 

I work in the ER and from what I understand, our full names are in the EMR (although not on our badges). I am not happy with this because the ER gets a little of everything - and some patients I would be terrified of them getting my full name. Same with the communication devices we all carry in the ER. Several of us have brought these concerns up but so far nothing has been done. I would definitely bring your concerns up to your management team.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Patients have a legal right to know who is providing their care. They may request their full medical records, which will have the full name and credentials of everyone who provided care, even if the facility were to remove it from the version shared at home.

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care.
3 hours ago, speedynurse said:

I work in the ER and from what I understand, our full names are in the EMR (although not on our badges). I am not happy with this because the ER gets a little of everything - and some patients I would be terrified of them getting my full name. Same with the communication devices we all carry in the ER. Several of us have brought these concerns up but so far nothing has been done. I would definitely bring your concerns up to your management team.

I can see both sides of the argument. I think if a patient wanted to request this information through the formal channels so that there is a paper trail and people would know that the patient was requesting said information, it would be better. It's just a little concerning with this technology driven world and how easy it would be for someone to find my home and phone number. 

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Specializes in ER, Pre-Op, PACU.
1 hour ago, Sbhayes09 said:

I can see both sides of the argument. I think if a patient wanted to request this information through the formal channels so that there is a paper trail and people would know that the patient was requesting said information, it would be better. It's just a little concerning with this technology driven world and how easy it would be for someone to find my home and phone number. 

In some departments, I don’t think full names are a danger. In the ER.....it can be dangerous ground to tread though with it being a high risk environment.

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I think this is a  common concern, but if patients trust me enough to allow me to test them and inject them with medications, I feel like I should trust them enough to tell them my name ...or at least not hide it.

If someone unbalanced decides they've got it in for you, they don't need your name anyway. All they have to do is wait for your shift to end, follow you home, or even meet you in the parking lot.

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care.
On 8/31/2020 at 6:00 PM, Sour Lemon said:

I think this is a  common concern, but if patients trust me enough to allow me to test them and inject them with medications, I feel like I should trust them enough to tell them my name ...or at least not hide it.

If someone unbalanced decides they've got it in for you, they don't need your name anyway. All they have to do is wait for your shift to end, follow you home, or even meet you in the parking lot.

Oh good, a new thing to fear ???

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Specializes in FNP, Retail Health, Primary Care, Corrections.

I've raised these kind of concerns before and changed my name in the EMR from First Middle Last to First Initial. Last name. Granted, I worked in a prison at the time. The licensing board in my state also posts our address online which can be found by anyone who looks up our license. I use a PO Box because of this. 

Buy yes, the patients do have a right to know who is treating them. I do feel like the pictures taken it too far though.

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Specializes in Dialysis.

IN used to post full names, addresses and birthdates, etc on the board website.  Thanks goodness that nonsense stopped.

I once had a house supervisor tell me that a patient had asked for my home phone # and address, and that idiot was going to give it to him. I was a single mom with young kids, and the patient was a twice convicted rapist who had recently gotten out of prison. She and our CNO were buds, and I was treated like I was overreacting. It was a small town, and I guess he could have waited and followed me, but I sure didn't want to give him an open invite to where I lived! I grateful that nothing ever came of it

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.
20 minutes ago, Hoosier_RN said:

IN used to post full names, addresses and birthdates, etc on the board website.  Thanks goodness that nonsense stopped.

I once had a house supervisor tell me that a patient had asked for my home phone # and address, and that idiot was going to give it to him. I was a single mom with young kids, and the patient was a twice convicted rapist who had recently gotten out of prison. She and our CNO were buds, and I was treated like I was overreacting. It was a small town, and I guess he could have waited and followed me, but I sure didn't want to give him an open invite to where I lived! I grateful that nothing ever came of it

That blows my mind!! Regardless of your gender, and whether the patient was a convicted rapist or not...there’s absolutely no excuse for that! Glad it worked out.

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