Nurse/Patient Relationships

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Med/Surg, APU/PACU, Peds, Flight.

Hey All!

I have no experience with this, but I have heard several stories of people meeting their future spouses in hospitals when one is the nurse and one is the patient. How common is this really and is it allowed for nurses to give patients their numbers or not? I am merely curious.

Thanks!

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Specializes in ED, CTSurg, IVTeam, Oncology.

lol, like a famous philosopher, mc hammer, once said, "can't touch this..."

seriously, fraternization or relationships between caregiver staff and patients are generally frowned upon, and in certain states, may be illegal or considered malpractice...

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Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

I have to agree, patient/nurse relationships should be strictly professional and remain within the work setting. At both facilities I work for policies are in place to prevent such relationships from beginning...

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

I had a nurse friend who did that. She met her hubby while working in the ER. He wasn't in the ER for anything major...urgent care, if I remember correctly.

They've been married for over 20 years.

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stuff like this happens, but the profession discourages it.

several/many state bon's state it constitutes professional misconduct.

leslie

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I actually found out that my co-worker's husband was once her patient and that's how they met. I don't know the details, but they have been married for a while and have 2 beautiful children.

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Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

I have a friend who married a former patient....they met at the hospital, hit it off...reacquainted when they "ran into each other" socially...etc.

It is a VERY sensitive and important relationship we have with patients. Our patients are vulnerable and we must protect them, and ourselves from all sort of unhealthy attachments.

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Specializes in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Volunteer Nursing.

I suppose this could and can happens.Reminds me of an episode of Army Wives where Denise (a nurse) had an affair with one of the patients -a wounded soldier and the hospital fired her.

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

Considering the majority of the men I meet are new fathers, I don't think that's going to happen! Although I recently had a mom trying to set me up with her brother in law...

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I had a patient try and set me up with her smoking hot daughter. She gave me her number and everything...One day I had it and was about to call and I thought "mmmm...something just doesn't seem kosher about this"...So i never called.

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This is definitely against the nursing code of ethics but it always happens anyway. I had one co-worker who got fired and his license revoked because of this. I think if the patient is rich and can support you without you being employed then go for it. But if they dont have the benjamins then I guess dating your patients is not at all worth it esp if you get your license revoked.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

a former co-worker of mine was doing private duty for a cancer patient when she started an affair with the patient's husband. another former co-worker of mine had an affair with his patient's wife. he says it was "therapuetic" because the husband was too sick to "satisfy his wife's needs." say what you will about single people getting together, i think it's worse to betray your patient in this manner!

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