Published
Has he tried to contact you? I'm not sure if Canada has a HIPAA equivalent, but in the US you'd be in legal hot water for contacting him post-discharge--ethical issues aside. Especially when you consider that mental/chemical health issues are treated especially carefully when it comes to privacy. The only reason you even have this man's contact info is because you had access to it through his hospitalization. So the only way you'd even have to consider this question is if he tried to contact you.
Here's some info per the Nurses Services Organization Don't cross the line: Respecting professional boundaries
I knew it was wrong. Needed it verified and told to me from someone in the profession but didn't wanna ask anyone I work with.
One of the classic guidelines for deciding whether or not some act will violate professional boundaries or standards of conduct is, if you wouldn't do it in front of your coworkers and boss(es), you shouldn't do it at all. The fact that you hesitated to even ask your colleagues about this should tell you all you need to know. Best wishes!
NurseJackie87
11 Posts
While working on my mental health unit I came into contact with a man who I had a connection with. While he was a patient he would flirt with me but I maintained the appropriate patient/nurse relationship. Now that he has been discharged I'm wondering about the ethical standards that might say that a personal relationship could be initiated? My own ethics has kept me from having any contact with him since discharge but I'd really like to get to know this guy outside our previous professional relationship. As background info I only work part time and he was only ever my patient a handful of times while he was in hospital.