Do you take home your worksheet with information on it from your shift in case someone has questions or you forget to chart something you have your facts with you? The hospital I used to work for told us to do this. I was fired from my new job for doing this after being on the floor for two days! They said I breached confidentiality.
I wanted to do this as a poll but I did not get the prompts to fill in so I do not know how to do it LOL.
I thought I would move this topic to general discussion but I do not know how to move a thread either LOL.
We will start doing assessments, write-ups, etc. on our pt's. in the hospital very soon. The only identification we use is pt. initial and room #. Is this against HIPPA? Could you just use pt. initial and/or Room # when taking pt. info. home? Or, are there different regulations and exceptions for students and professional RN's?
I also agree that them discussing this with you in front of other staff at the desk was in poor form. Any matter that needs to be discussed with an employee needs to be discussed in private. Period.
.....I threw away the worksheet at the end of the shift. Amazingly, the "cares of that shift" went away too. I was not taking work and worries home with me.
Specializes in CCU (Coronary Care); Clinical Research.
I usually leave my worksheet for the day shift...They can then see what I have done. I am pretty anal and write my patient history down as well...(critical care usually only 1-2 patients), this way they can glance at this if they are too busy to sit down and read through the charts themselves...
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
I've always put my worksheet in the recycle bin at the end of the shift, right at the same time I turn in my keys. That was even before HIPAA, because I'm kind of paranoid about taking confidential items home....which was impossible NOT to do when I was a LTC manager and had to take work home with me all the time. Like one of the above posters, I was petrified of getting in an MVA and having patient information scattered all over! Thank God I don't have to do any of that now.....the worksheet goes into the basket, the keys go into the drawer, and the nurse goes home free of worries.
I HAVE had to keep notes about patient incidents on a couple of occasions, just in case, but I use initials---nothing that could identify the pt. by name or station in life.
Gee, is the the job you jumped through hoops for, interviewing 50 people, etc., then stood up for yourself for? Hmmm....no written warning, no counseling? Seems harsh, since you're only doing it for innocent reasons. I never would have thought about that either. Our risk manager always said never to bring reports home and save them, because they can come back to haunt you later, not sure about that, because the truth is the truth.
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
I think there should have been a verbal, or at worst, written warning. You didn't deserve to get fired for this, renerian....in fact, you may even have a cause to take to the labor relations board in your state. Of course, if you're like me (I got fired last winter for having "physical and emotional problems") you've probably already figured out that the job isn't worth fighting for, and any company that treats its employees so shabbily isn't worth working for.
Good luck in whatever you decide to do, renerian. You're a good person and doubtless a good nurse....you won't be unemployed long!
Thanks everyone for replying. I already found a new job and I start on Monday on a vent unit. I will like that. I appreciate everyone's input and you can be sure I will never bring home a worksheet again! LOL.
In nursing school 5 years ago we were forbidden to take home anything with patient information on it. We weren't even allowed to write patient names on our paperwork for confidentiality reasons.
So sorry this happened to you, I never have taken papers home intentionaly but have found the remains in the wash at times. sounds like they treated you very ugly. How unprofessional Deb
So sorry this happened to you..............................sounds like they treated you very ugly. How unprofessional Deb
My sentiments exactly renerian. (((((hugs))))) Glad you found a new job, and let's hope the new employer will respect you and what you have to offer that your old UNprofessional employer didn't. :kiss
Years ago, I use to keep shift reports, etc. for at least a week, but then stopped. Got tired of the build up of trash laying around in my locker, or at home, so I started trashing them. Now, I dump them in the shredder box at the end of my shift, or attach them to the next shift's report sheets for their information regarding what was done, vital signs, new meds, accuchecks done, surgeries or test that day, etc.
When the end of my shift comes, all I want to do is leave work without any memory of the shift gone by, get home, take a hot shower, eat a snack, and go to bed. :)
colleen10
1,326 Posts
As a student nurse I have a question.
We will start doing assessments, write-ups, etc. on our pt's. in the hospital very soon. The only identification we use is pt. initial and room #. Is this against HIPPA? Could you just use pt. initial and/or Room # when taking pt. info. home? Or, are there different regulations and exceptions for students and professional RN's?
I also agree that them discussing this with you in front of other staff at the desk was in poor form. Any matter that needs to be discussed with an employee needs to be discussed in private. Period.