looking up a patients arrest records?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

A co-worker mentioned she did this and was telling me about some previous arrests of our patients. Is this illegal? It seems very unethical. what should i do?

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Wouldn't do it, will never again ask-cause they will tell you IN DETAIL.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

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Specializes in LTC.

This reminds me of when I was in nursing school and did my psych rotation. We had to look up one patient for an assignment. We were allowed to look up other patients if it was for learning purposes, however we weren't allowed to look up anyone from our county. Anyways I only looked at one patients chart. He was VERY respectful and pleasant, however had a horrifying history, including some of it criminal. I just wanted to see the psych patients for who they were, not what they had done! I now work in LTC, and I've had my suspicions about certain residents history (criminal) but I don't google them, that's for sure!

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What does a nurse have to do with Section 8 housing. I worked for a Housing Authority for many years administering Section 8 housing, certificates, vouchers, new construction, elderly & disabled and public housing. Nursing is not part of the mix, all applicants are pre-screened for criminal backgrounds. What does a nurse do in public housing?

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Specializes in FNP.

I think as an APN she is trying to help pts meet their shelter needs. Review your Maslow, ;)

Some of you need to get a library card or a suduko book or something. You are waaaay too invested in minutia.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

We get prisoners quite a bit in our OR since it is a state hospital, but I choose NOT to look at their arrest record because I don't want to alter my care in any way, shape or form. I believe that knowing what my pt in in prison for would subconsciously change the way I delivered care to my pt, and that is wrong. I feel that it should have no bearing on the care that I give, but I know that it COULD alter my care...so I choose not to even open that door.

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Specializes in CVICU, Obs/Gyn, Derm, NICU.
LOL, I can definitely relate to this. I read this post after I submitted my comment. When I worked for the muni court, the "prisoners" in their orange jumb suits and handcuffs were usually more pleasant that the general public. In fact, they were basically nicer. The key is to treat all peole with common respect. I even met one man in a store two years later who thanked me for this. I have found no difference in the patients that I have worked with who are "prisoners."

Well ...they are polite ... and they will often be 'nicer' than the general public ... that is a red flag

Treat respectfully, decently and with empathy ... but don't be trusting, maintain very good boundaries, be smart

( I don't think you've come across so many very 'nice' manipulative dangerous ones yet )

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It's all public information. Guess it's matter of personal choice to know or not to know. Even knowing what the arrest record says may or may not give you an accurate picture. Once had a co-worker obsessed with looking through the local sex offender listings. I hear most of them have gone to work at airports doing screenings for the TSA.

If you know this for a fact, you really should inform TSA that these people are working for them.

LOL I'm pretty sure that was sarcasm ....:)

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Specializes in MDS/ UR.

Wow, does one write down their name, dob, ss# and have at it?

You really spend your free time googling your clients.

I find it sad .

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Specializes in MDS/Office.

We have had residents who were on our County's "Most Wanted" list.

One of them was taken out of our facility by a parking lot full of cops...

Good PR for our LTC facility... :D

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I think as an APN she is trying to help pts meet their shelter needs. Review your Maslow, ;)

Some of you need to get a library card or a suduko book or something. You are waaaay too invested in minutia.

I am thinking of using this for a signature line in another forum I belong to.

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Specializes in Professional Development Specialist.

Personally I can see looking at that for a LTC patient. Our facility is family oriented. Kids and pets of staff and family members are often present just to visit with the residents. If someone was on the list I would think differently about letting my daughter chat with them. But in our state all our patients are automatically screened through the sex offender list so I don't feel it necessary. She visits in the common area under supervision anyway, I admit to being overprotective.

ETA- for a short term acute stay, I'd really rather not know. I know it would cloud my care and eat me alive at night.

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