patient confidentiality

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Hello everyone..Im sorry if this is a FAQ but i cant find the answer anywhere else. I'm not a nurse yet.. but i start school in the fall . But thats not the point i have a ? for all of you..

I know a nurse..I used to live with her actually. Shes not related to me though. Sometimes she comes home from work and talks about her patients with her daughter and gives a little too much detail about them in my opinion. Recently she got home form work and told her high-school aged daughter about her patient..which happened to go to school with her daughter..she continued to give her his name and his condition and everything. she then went on to tell her daughter "dont tell anyone at school about him though, because i could get into big trouble." I know this might seem stupid to you all but i cant help but to be bothered by this. The boys condition was kind of embarrassing and im sure her daughter did not keep quiet about the info she learned from her mom..

my question is...is there anyway i can report this even though im not the patient? I want to do this aynonmously because I REALLY dont want her to know it was me...also if i can do this..will she be fired from her job?

Thanks everyone!!!

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Specializes in ICU.

EEEE...that's awful. :( And really, really a shame.

Someone that can't be trusted with keeping patient information confidential shouldn't be allowed access to patient information. :( :( :(

I understand you being upset at the offense, but your post makes it kind of sound like you're trying to use this against her (maybe I'm way out of line to suggest this, but it kind of sounds like revenge to me). I personally would probably stay out of it, since it would be your word against hers - unless of course it did get back to the patient and then the patient can and should bring it up with the BON or facility.

Maybe someone else will have something more helpful to say...

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Honestly, I would stay out of it. Yeah, she shouldn't be telling her daughter that stuff, but when it comes down to it, it's all just heresay. I don't even think it would be investigated. Like the poster above said - it's your word against theirs.

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I'm sure you could call her employer and relate all the info you shared here with us with them. What action they would take from an anonymous source I don't know but you could call and pass the info on.

If the info does get back to this boy and his family they could certainly take action and it wouldn't be hard to prove as this girl's mother had direct access to his information and care. She could be fired and the hospital could be sued. They'd have a good case.

Have you talked to her about this? I would start there and let her know she could lose her license and her job. Be firm. Remind her this is a gross privacy violation that could have dire consequences. Turn it on her and ask how she'd feel if her daughter was in the hospital with a personal issue and it was shared with a male classmate. Maybe she will get it.

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thanks for the advice everyone. I wasnt trying to seek revenge for anything..shes never done anything to me personally. I just couldnt help to feel bad for the boy and his family. I know if my sons privacy was being violated in that way, I would want to know about it. I guess if this comes up again I will speak to her about it privately.

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Specializes in ICU.

I apologize for implying you might have had any ill will towards her, Lauren. It's hard to construe intent from the internet. When you mention something negative about her character and then include you're a former roommate and say you're concerned about annonymity and want to know if she would get fired - well let's just say I jump to the worst possible conclusion. Again, I'm sorry I thought that of you without knowing more about you and the situation, and I agree it is troubling to think about what your former roommate did and imagine it happening regarding your own child. :(

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thanks for the advice everyone. I wasnt trying to seek revenge for anything..shes never done anything to me personally. I just couldnt help to feel bad for the boy and his family. I know if my sons privacy was being violated in that way, I would want to know about it. I guess if this comes up again I will speak to her about it privately.

If she really is your friend, I would speak to her about it first. She probably thinks she can trust her daughter to keep a secret but we all know that's not the case with teenagers. She COULD get fired from her job and get in trouble with the Board of Nursing for violating HIPAA (confidentiality policy). I know you feel terrible for the patient, but I'm sure you would also feel terrible if your friend lost her job and her family was hurt because of something you did behind her back. Again, speak to your friend first and let her know what she is doing is wrong.

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Well can you prove it? Exactly...so just stay out of it. What she did was horrible and unprofessional but you cannot prove that she actually said it.

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I know in Australia your friend could be reported to the Nursing Board. Unaware if this is applicable where you live, but they basically inspect the allegations and can revoke her license.

Know that you could ruin her life by doing this though... it would be far more professional to confront her about it. While I know plenty of nurses who go home and talk to their significant other or roommates or children about their day at work, it's always a good idea to leave out specifics and names. She can be sued for this, and as a friend I would certainly be reminding her of this fact.

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I have learned with pt confidentiality what you see here stays here and I have lived by that I am in nursing school going for my BSN

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Specializes in CVICU, ER.

When you do become a nurse, you will learn that we need a way to vent.... Usually this is talking about the cases that we deal with. I talk about my experiences all of the time. However, I don't approve of her divulging the pt name. That's ludicrous with all of the HIPAA laws in place and the way kids talk. Most facilities have compliance hotline that anyone can call in anonymously and report someone.

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Specializes in Med Surg.

In my experience what one teenager knows they all know. If her daughter blabs it WILL get back to the boy and his parents. Stay out of it and let nature take its course.

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