I am a female nurse and happily married, who took care of a female patient recently. We talked about art and showed our art to each other during a slow period on the floor. I received a thank you note from her today thanking me for the care I gave her. She said she was interested in the art I did and would like to know more about it and would I be interested in getting together over a cup of coffee. Seems innocent enough but I just don’t know if it is the right thing to do.
allnurses Guide hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I 4 Articles; 4,778 Posts Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life). Has 21 years experience. Sep 10, 2021 22 hours ago, InToTheWoodsRN said: I am a female nurse and happily married, who took care of a female patient recently. We talked about art and showed our art to each other during a slow period on the floor. I received a thank you note from her today thanking me for the care I gave her. She said she was interested in the art I did and would like to know more about it and would I be interested in getting together over a cup of coffee. Seems innocent enough but I just don’t know if it is the right thing to do. You thinking correctly!
suzil 98 Posts Specializes in All areas of Critical Care, ED, PACU, Pre-Op, BH,. Dec 9, 2021 Don't cross the boundaries.
DavidFR, BSN, MSN, RN 554 Posts Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health. Has 37 years experience. Dec 16, 2021 Same advice here. I've had an invitiation to coffee (totally innocent) and a dinner invitation (not so innocent I suspected). In both cases I politely explained that my professional code doesn't allow me to cross that red line regardless of how much I might get on with a patient. A patient must remain a patient. You've had too much access to confidential information at a time when she was vulnerable . You were in a position of relative power. That makes it too unusual and uncomfortable for a friendship. And if the day comes when she's back in your care, then you're really in trouble. Sad to give up the possibility of a potentially nice friendship, but it's something we all have to do. When we're at work, we're kind, pleasant and sociable. But we're not socialising.
suzil 98 Posts Specializes in All areas of Critical Care, ED, PACU, Pre-Op, BH,. Dec 16, 2021 Wow this going out with a patient, no matter how innocent it may seem? Crosses boundaries big time!
Orca, ADN, ASN, RN 2,066 Posts Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC. Has 28 years experience. Dec 17, 2021 Others have stated the same, but resist any temptation to create a social relationship with a one-time patient.
