Need advice on nursing/pt relationship post discharge

[NurseJackie87]

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.

[JWG223]

I know a nurse who married the paraplegic they cared for for a few days. Relationship began while the patient was still in the hospital. No administrative action was taken against the nurse.

[elkpark]

I know a nurse who married the paraplegic they cared for for a few days. Relationship began while the patient was still in the hospital. No administrative action was taken against the nurse.

Did this occur in a psychiatric setting? While many of us feel that it's always a bad idea, in any setting, it seems that it's not as obviously, explicitly taboo in other specialty areas as it is in psych.

[NurseJackie87]

OK the everyone for your input. No I did not accept the flirtation or changed how I practised a nurse. Never changed or acted against unit policy.

[NurseJackie87]

Meant to say thx* not the

[MA Nurse]

Dating someone from a mental ward? I wouldnt advise it. In fact, I've had experience with mental illness in personal relationships and I would run the other way as fast as you can and find a healthy person instead!

[NurseJackie87]

There's that taboo again. A kind of prejudice I believe. I truly believe that every single person lives with a mental illness whether diagnoses or undiagnosed. Its your ability to cope with your mental illness that keeps you from hospitalization or need for treatment.