guest1200295

Thank you, yes, and your message is not unkind at all. I believe you are right. I appreciate your taking time to share this, and maybe somehow, I can find help for my anxiousness about these things!

Thank you. I would think that staff (and I'm not an RN, but a support staffer) could do this to "process" their emotions/experiences. I didn't mention names, though in other conversations where a specific group of staff have cared for the same person, sometimes folks may say, "do you remember ______ (patient name)? That was hard/sad/I was thinking about them/that", and this would be in a confidential setting, and I would think that would be OK, since the group shares confidentiality.

While in an interdisciplinary team meeting, a staffer recalled a tragic patient/family experience to us, and asked (since I am a fellow staffer) if I had heard about it. I wasn't sure but thought that I had heard about the situation, so said that I think I did hear about it. Later, as the person told us more about the situation, I said that no, actually I don't think I had heard about this particular situation (it sounded like a similar situation that had happened earlier). I wondered if my response was appropriate in terms of confidentiality, as my response may have led others to think that there was someone else who had been in a similar situation?

Thanks, do you think it's alright if I tell "B" that I was able to see their relative (the patient) before they discharged?

A staff member in our healthcare facility (who I'll call "B" for anonymity) had an extended family member as one of our patients. B saw that I was waiting to visit the patient as part of my work as a support staffer. B has been in the patient's room when I attempted a previous visit with the patient, and recently they and other family members saw me waiting to see the patient again. But the patient wasn't available, so I said I'd try again, and I was eventually able to see the patient before they were discharged. Later, B saw me and told me that their relative (this patient) had been discharged. I thanked B, told them that I knew this. BUT, I did not tell them that I had indeed visited with the patient, because I was unsure if telling them that might violate HIPAA. I mean, B knows what I do, and knew (since B was in the room when I attempted to visit) that their loved one was on my list of patients, but I was unsure if telling B that I was able to see their loved one before their discharge might break confidentiality, or HIPAA. Now, to be fair, B didn't ask me if I had been able to see their loved one (the patient) before discharge, and I feel a little deceptive NOT telling them that I did (because they were concerned that I was able to). But I think better to error on the side of safety. Does HIPAA/confidentiality keep me from telling B that I DID see their loved one before discharge, or would it be alright to let them know?

I really like this :)!

Thanks for this! I've seen many patient's ages and other info in the course of necessary work, sometimes from necessity and sometimes from curiosity (much more from the 1st than the 2nd, of course). In fact, after posting my question above and while charting on another patient, my eyes quickly went to the age of the patient on the screen, and I thought, hold on, now, was that from curiosity, and if so, was it wrong? I think I'm going to give myself a break here (with the issue in general), and realize that as someone else here said, there is a human curiosity when we work with people, but ALSO that when our mind and eyes work so quickly together while doing our work, then yes, I may indeed look at the person's age, it isn't a bad, or invasive thing. I think maybe the key is in holding in confidence the information on a patient that I do see, certainly being mindful of appropriate vs inappropriate reading of patient info, not being neurotic, and also realizing that I am a human being and not a robot :). I sure appreciate all insight from all of you!

Thank you. I guess I'm not entirely sure about my motivation (or personal curiosity). It was just a random question ("I wonder how old they are") and easy enough to see the answer there. I thank you for understanding, and understanding the "panic", which is how I usually feel when something like this happens :)!

well, it's the "need to know" issue versus my own curiosity. I know that many folks involved in direct medical care would "need to know" the person's age, and in a larger sense I suppose that anyone involved in their holistic care would/should be aware so that we're sure that the person matches the name/age. But I as a support staffer (and not a medical professional), while having access to a patient's record, usually don't pay attention to their ages so much. My thought when I quickly looked at the age was, "Hmm, I wonder how old this person is" and again, it was just my own curiosity. Since I have the access to the patient's info, seeing the age wasn't "wrong" per se, but it was my personal wondering that makes me pause. So, I think I'll chock this up to simple human behavior that didn't violate anything, and keep on trucking ?

By name, mostly, and there were other factors that made me sure I had the right person when I offered support to them. I didn't read their age before speaking to them, but later, while charting, after my curiosity led me to glance at it (which again, was right there for staff like me to see). I guess I'm feeling a bit snoopy because what drove me to look at the age was my own momentary curiosity rather than a need to know from a professional/work reason. I know I was privvy to the info, as all who are involved in a person's care are, but I feel a bit compromising because I looked at that age. I guess my real question might be: are those who work in healthcare allowed a certain level of personal curiosity that allows for such things?

Thanks, I guess I feel conflicted because I, in my role as support staff, didn't "need to know" the age.

I'm a support staffer, and recently while charting on a patient, I thought, very quickly, "I wonder how old this person is." The person's age was literally right there on my record, by their name, so I glanced at it, and then felt guilty. Ages of patients are routinely listed by their names, but I feel badly because I didn't need to know the age, it was personal curiosity. Was this glance unethical?

I was also worried because I'd asked the visitor if they were looking for the family (I knew the fam had been around), and later freaked out, thinking, "Why'd I say that? That sounds suspiciously like the patient isn't doing well and the visitor might want to talk to family..." and realize, well, that doesn't mean much either :). ... Deep breath.

great relief, thanks!!

thank you. I'm now doubting myself, wondering if I said, "working on him" -- I hope not ...