Keeping in touch with patients

[baygrl11]

Would it be strange or inappropriate to keep in touch with a patient after discharge? Really because of a close patient-nurse relationship that developed and NOT anything personal or romantic. I guess just to check in on this patient's health issues in the future, and maybe an occasional "hello hope all is well". Any thoughts?

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Would it be strange or inappropriate to keep in touch with a patient after discharge? Really because of a close patient-nurse relationship that developed and NOT anything personal or romantic. I guess just to check in on this patient's health issues in the future, and maybe an occasional "hello hope all is well". Any thoughts?

Yes, strange and grossly inappropriate. It crosses professional boundaries. You can lose your job for initiating contact post discharge.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Would it be strange or inappropriate to keep in touch with a patient after discharge?

Always remember that the nurse/patient relationship entails fulfilling the patient's needs, not the desires of the nurse.

Furthermore, the nurse/patient relationship is supposed to terminate once the patient is discharged from your care. Continuing the relationship after discharge is improper, unseemly, and violates professional boundaries.

Do not befriend patients or their family members outside the healthcare setting. Do not accept friend requests from patients on social media sites such as FaceBook. You, the healthcare professional, must uphold boundaries.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Aside from the ethical and professional issues already posted, you might want to consider the legal ones.

What if your "how's your health?" question results in this person telling you all about current symptoms, lab values, treatments? Are you prepared to DO something about the person who obviously needs to see his PCP, but is waiting to talk to you instead? In that patient's mind, he's already "talked to the nurse" and might not follow up as recommended.

And what if you stick your neck in it and say something that the patient misconstrues, and is harmed in some way because of what you said (or did not say)? You are not acting as an employee at that point, you're......rogue.

Living with the mantra "how would this go over in the court proceedings?" isn't a bad thing, believe me!