Nurses' personal medical records

Nurses General Nursing

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When I become a nurse, will I still feel my own medical records are private? Starting nursing school soon. I hope other Hospital medical personnel don't just look up their co-workers medical records. How much privacy do nurses have with their personal medical history (except obviously when we are visiting the doctor ourselves for care)? This is probably a really stupid question, but I don't know. Thanks in advance for the insight.

I try to be careful about not seeking medical care at a facility that I might hope to work at in the future. I feel my medical history is my business and I am certain that management types would have no second thoughts about seeking info that they would not normally be privy to, much less coworkers. I have had private information thrown in my face in the past when managers opened their mouth when they should have been professional.

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When I become a nurse, will I still feel my own medical records are private? Starting nursing school soon. I hope other Hospital medical personnel don't just look up their co-workers medical records. How much privacy do nurses have with their personal medical history (except obviously when we are visiting the doctor ourselves for care)? This is probably a really stupid question, but I don't know. Thanks in advance for the insight.

Not a stupid question at all. The hospital am at, we no longer have paper charts, we have the EMR system Epic, and you can put a lock on your chart, where if some one needs to access it, they need to type in a code and "break the glass" (each time someone looks at your chart it gets reported) if they are opening it be busy bodies and no other reason the are fired on the spot. Even though you work their it does not give anyone a right to "browse" through your chart.

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Specializes in Psych.

when one of our hospital VP's was in the hospital for 'exaustion" after both her parents died the same day. I have a feeling she was on our psych unit. I worked in one of the physicians offices at the time and for some reason we had access to everyones record in the computer. A strongly worded memo went out that if anyone except those caring for her accessed her records, it would result in imediate termination.

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Specializes in ER.
Thank you; I am so glad I live in Hawaii where people are not discriminated against for their disabilities. Hawaii is very big on that type of thing.

Mahalo

Would you want a schizophrenic nurse taking care of you? Giving you medications that can have fatal consequences? I do not believe someone with psychiatric issues should be involved in direct patient care. We have to realize that everyday we walk in the door to our job that at any given moment we hold the lives of others in our hands and the outcome will be dictated by our actions. I may sound discriminatory or not PC but really I don't care. When it comes to peoples lives we have to be at the top of our game, period. There are other places they can work in medicine, just not direct patient care.

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If someone has a mental illness that is well controlled by medication and their psychiatrist has cleared them to work then I don't see a problem!

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What's the story? I certainly wouldn't want people to have incorrect information concerning the release of medications and Dx to the nursing board or the employer since all that is protected under the law and private.

Please enlighten me. Here in Hawaii you do not have to disclose your Diagnosis to the boards or anyone else.

Some states do have questions about mental health history or current diagnoses. It can come up with boards, and also when renewing every 2 years. Some are referred to the state peer assistance programs for mental health if warranted (if they don't like the doctors' note), others are deemed inconsequential and never an issue. Depends on the state, the diagnosis, compliance with treatment, and limitations by the doc. :)

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Would you want a schizophrenic nurse taking care of you? Giving you medications that can have fatal consequences? I do not believe someone with psychiatric issues should be involved in direct patient care. We have to realize that everyday we walk in the door to our job that at any given moment we hold the lives of others in our hands and the outcome will be dictated by our actions. I may sound discriminatory or not PC but really I don't care. When it comes to peoples lives we have to be at the top of our game, period. There are other places they can work in medicine, just not direct patient care.

So, anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, phobias, etc should keep someone out of nursing? Those are psychiatric issues. Some can even become quite severe. But they don't make someone psychotic. Big difference :) "They" are working next to you every day, and i bet you can't tell which ones "they" are.....???

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Specializes in Intermediate care.

they cannot access your medical records. they have no reason to.

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Could you support that with a link? If you are going to put out info like that I believe you should be able to back it up.

Every BON is different but most require you to disclose. If you don't and then it's found out..you could lose your license because you would have lied on the application.

One of my classmates has not applied for licensure because she believes her diagnosis to be inaccurate and she's seeking to have it rectified before applying rather than not disclose and have it come up later and have a problem keeping her license.

All you have to do is check the website.

http://www.bon.state.tx.us/ren-eligibility.htm

TEXAS

NOTE: Orders of Non-Disclosure: Pursuant to Tex. Gov't Code 552.142(b), if you have criminal matters that are the subject of an order of non-disclosure you are not required to reveal those criminal matters on this form. However, a criminal matter that is the subject of an order of non-disclosure may become a character and fitness issue. Pursuant to other sections of the Gov't Code chapter 411, the Texas Nursing Board is entitled to access criminal history record information that is the subject of an order of non-disclosure. If the Board discovers a criminal matter that is the subject of an order of non-disclosure, even if you properly did not reveal that matter, the Board may require you to provide information about any conduct that raises issues of character.

Are you currently the target or subject of a grand jury or governmental agency investigation?

Has any licensing authority refused to issue you a license or ever revoked, annulled, cancelled, accepted surrender of, suspended, placed on probation, refused to renew a license, certificate or multi-state privilege held by you now or previously, or ever fined, censured, reprimanded or otherwise disciplined you? (You may exclude disciplinary actions previously disclosed to the Texas Board of Nursing on an initial or renewal licensure application.)

Within the past five (5) years have you been diagnosed with, treated, or hospitalized for schizophrenia and/or psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, paranoid personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, or borderline personality disorder? (You may answer "no" if you have completed and/or in compliance with TPAPN for mental illness)

In the past 5 years, have you been addicted or treated for the use of alcohol or any other drug? (You may answer "no" if you have completed and/or in compliance with TPAPN for mental illness)

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FYI they also will not issue a license to those who have defaulted on college loans or owe child support.

I know one guy who is having problems because he has all three problems! I don't know why he wouldn't believe me when I told him getting a letter from his dr. and one from his x-wife would make two of the 3 go away. The TX Bon doesn't mess around.

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I am curious to know.

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i had a criminal record/s that were sealed and the other expunged, these are no longer public records according to the law and i have a clean background now. my question is when my license is issued, will i have stipulations? i understand their decisions are done by case to case basis. any insight on this? thank you!:idea:

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