Please Help

[chewychipsahoy]

Please help. I need your advice.

During clinicals, a confused patient got angry and hit me. I told the nurse and my professor that the patient got mad at me. I didn't tell them that I was hit because I was shocked and felt bad that the patient hated me at that point. Then after clinical, I emailed my professor, described the situation so that my prof knew exactly what happened when the patient hit me. I emailed my prof because I wasn't going to clinical again until next week and didn't want to wait.

Now I am worried that my prof will fail me because I wrote the nurses name in the email. I did not write any one else's name. I wrote the nurses name because my prof had asked me that day how my nurse was and asked me for her name. So I wasn't thinking and thought it was fine to write her name.

The purpose of telling my pro was to make it known that I was hit. I did not tell the facility because my prof said to let the prof/school handle their relationship with the facility.

I regret writing the email. What if my prof says I broke HIPPA? What if I fail or get kicked out?

Next time, how should I handle this?

[springchick1, ADN, RN]

Please help. I need your advice. During clinicals a confused patient got angry and hit me. I told the nurse and my professor that the patient got mad at me. I didn't tell them that I was hit because I was shocked and felt bad that the patient hated me at that point. Then after clinical, I emailed my professor, described the situation so that my prof knew exactly what happened when the patient hit me. I emailed my prof because I wasn't going to clinical again until next week and didn't want to wait. Now I am worried that my prof will fail me because I wrote the nurses name in the email. I did not write any one else's name. I wrote the nurses name because my prof had asked me that day how my nurse was and asked me for her name. So I wasn't thinking and thought it was fine to write her name. The purpose of telling my pro was to make it known that I was hit. I did not tell the facility because my prof said to let the prof/school handle their relationship with the facility. I regret writing the email. What if my prof says I broke HIPPA? What if I fail or get kicked out? Next time, how should I handle this?[/quote']

Next time, report it immediately. Do not wait.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Next time don't wait. Nurse's names are not protected health information. Patient name, DOB, diagnosis. Even so in communicating with your instructor that would be a permitted disclosure but to be safe as email is not a secure communication use PATIENT initials. Again nurse names are NOT protected info nor is it a HIPAA violation to list a nurse's name.

[chewychipsahoy]

Thank you for the info that nurses' names are not under HIPPA. I will research that more. I did not write the patient's name or initials. Next time, I will not write an email and will report it immediately. I am worried that the prof will somehow reprimand me for not reporting it earlier and for writing it in an email.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

It's HIPAA, not HIPPA.

Always report that sort of thing immediately, to your instructor (in this case) or a charge nurse (when you are working). The patient may be a danger to others, have experienced a significant new neuro event that changed his behavior, or any of a number of things.

[chewychipsahoy]

do you think the prof will fail me? or I will face negative consequences? The prof hasn't responded to my email. is she investigating what happened?

[Madras]

No I don't think you will be failed. Why would you be failed for letting your professor know that you were hit and concerned? You are new at this. You absolutely should let your professor know things that go on in your clinical experience in a TIMELY manner that is expected of you and she/he may reinforce that to you.

No one can be "in trouble" for this really, in nursing sometimes patients will hit, it's not right but it happens and you should always make report about it and get yourself and your patient evaluated. Sometimes these are signs of changes in mental status!!