Nurse Posts About a Patient on Facebook ... Duty to Report?

Nurses HIPAA

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Question for you all:

If a nurse posts a Facebook status about their patient, blatantly mocking the reason for their admission (i.e., an embarrassing reason), most people would agree this is a HIPAA violation even if the patient was not ID'ed by name.

But do fellow nurses have a duty to report this nurse in any way to management or to the state BON?

It isn't specific enough to be slander as no names used but it is a small town, small facility and small number of nurses. Not hard to figure out who it refers to.

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Question for you all:

If a nurse posts a Facebook status about their patient, blatantly mocking the reason for their admission (i.e., an embarrassing reason), most people would agree this is a HIPAA violation even if the patient was not ID'ed by name.

But do fellow nurses have a duty to report this nurse in any way to management or to the state BON?

Report to the unit manager or supervisor. Never post about patients or staffing situations on facebook or other social media

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I would never post about work, let alone a patient. I have HIPAA phobia, but you have to be careful, you also never know who could report you after they see a post on fb. I personally wouldn't report something I saw on FB unless it was a blantent HIPAA violation, in this case I wouldn't report it (because I don't personally think this instance is a violation) but might message the person privately and tell them to be careful.

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I don't understand the need to go report this "friend" of yours.

He/she will get what's coming to him/her, there are consequences for everything we do, especially this Facebook related stuff. You don't need to be the tattle tale, worry about your life and not what others are doing wrong.

This is why I REFUSE to be part of this Facebook mania, because of all this drama, gossip, "righteous" informants, and overall problems that it carries.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

Just to update: the person who posted on Facebook has since departed (on their own accord for another job) and this is the end of the story. No one will be getting reported.

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This is why I will never add co-workers or fellow nursing classmates.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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It is often called Fecesbook for a reason; there is some really goofy s___ on there. Details of work should not be posted there, unless somebody really wants to be unemployed and financially broke. This is not rocket surgery. you people.

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Specializes in Medical Surgical/Addiction/Mental Health.

I don’t post anything work-related on Facebook. There were a couple of nurses fired for that recently. A photo was posted that had patient information in the background. I refuse to take pictures with co-workers for this very reason. Besides, you never know who is a friend of a friend.

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Sounds like social media needs to be a focus in nursing school.
Believe me, it is!
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Specializes in Med Surg.
Question for you all:

If a nurse posts a Facebook status about their patient, blatantly mocking the reason for their admission (i.e., an embarrassing reason), most people would agree this is a HIPAA violation even if the patient was not ID'ed by name.

But do fellow nurses have a duty to report this nurse in any way to management or to the state BON?

I had this happen with a former classmate and I warned her that she had better remove her facebook post.

She did.

No BON necessary.

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Oh, but it's ok to come on here and say "I had a patient admitted for such and such...." Why is FB criminalized and not other forums? This is why I don't have any work contacts on FB, EVER.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

I don't think that a nurse posting an embarassing reason for a patient to be admitted to the hospital is necessarily a HIPAA violation. Poor judgement - perhaps, HIPAA violation - maybe

For instance I could comment on FB that a guy came into my place of work with a gerbil in his rectum, do you think you could ID that patient based upon my comment?

Many people do not identify occupation or employer on their FB.

Many people only share posts with friends and family, their profiles and comments are not public.

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