She is sleeping with a patient.............

[fournee, LPN]

I am an HIV LPN(NEW). My company hired a RN for role of clinic coordinator. This Rn was fired from a previous job 4-5 years ago, unknown reasons. We had the opportunity to interview her, myself and 3 PA's and her longest job in 5 years was 4 months. We said no, our director said yes.

She used to work at one of our affiliates clinics(where she was fired) and she asked me how can a pt. get transfered to us. We are a HIV clinic. I told her they just have to come over and change doctors. Needless to say the patient that she wanted to come over is also her live in boyfriend , who she met at the other clinic. She said she divorced her DOctor husband to be with him. She was his nurse and the pt is also a strong substance abuser. There are pictures of them kissing and on vacation on her web site. She has access to RX forms and other things. He is always here, hanging around. We sent pictures to our director, secretly, yesterday.

We don't know what will happen next.

QUESTION??????????Should the Illinois BON be informed. I looked up our nurses act and it states that one of the reasons for getting your license revoked, suspended is sexual contact with a patient.

[justme1972]

Considering the relationship was going on PRIOR to the patient going to your clinic, your office got a referral and because you didn't want this person hired to start with you are fishing for reasons to get them fired, by going on the internet, sending pictures of her and her boyfriend to the Director, etc.

Honestly? Please don't take this the wrong way, but you really, really should be ashamed of yourself, because you NOT ONLY want to see this person fired, but you want to see them lose their license?

The only thing that I think you have the RIGHT to do is tell her that her boyfriend can't just "hang out" at the clinic...and that isn't singling her out, that should go for everyone. Unless he is there to drop her off from work, go to lunch together, or he is picking her up, unless he is there for an appointment, then he has no reason to be there.

I also think you are pushing the "rules" about no sexual contact with a patient a little to far. Those ethical guidelines were designed to prevent a patient from being taken advantage of in a healthcare setting, they were not designed so someone that has an axe to grind can keep someone who is a patient at a clinic/hospital from having a romantic relationship, especially when it started BEFORE they were a patient at your facility.

This nurse should not be personally assigned to his treatment, just like no nurse should be assigned to ANY family member (even though it's only a boyfriend). So an objective assessment can be reached and privacy maintained.

However, I don't think the BON is going to take any complaint seriously from you just because she works at a clinic where someone is getting treatment, especially since this was a prior relationship.

I really, really think the ethical issue rests with how you are handling it, not with what she is going.

Sounds to me you are going the extra mile to see her gone. If she wants to carry on a relationship with an HIV person, then that is HER business. I see no rules that she violated.

[justme1972]

edit...double post

[krazykev]

Yes, leave the lady alone and mind your own business. If she was seeing this guy before she came to work there, then that is their business.

[leslie :-D]

i take more issue w/your malicious intent than i do w/this nurse possibly violating professional boundaries.

you took pictures and sent them off to the director.

and since that's not satisfying you, you want to report her?

since this relationship is already established, it makes absolutely no sense to try and indict someone retrogressively.

time for you to try and get along w/this nurse, rather than castigate her.

sadly, i don't think you'll understand a word we're saying.

*shaking head*

finally, when we as a profession, continuously struggle w/our image, it is behaviors such as these, that make us lose even more credibility.

truly, time to grow up.

leslie

[Keepstanding, ASN, RN]

i would just lay low for this. you are not responsible for anything that happens in this situation. just watch and see how it pans out. lay low !

[antidote]

I'm a bit confused about something: when you discovered the pictures, was this part of company policy to research the applicant over the internet or was this something you did yourself?

I am 50/50 here. For now, I'd leave it be. The relationship was going on before she was hired. BUT! let it run its course. I can see that drugs will come up that were not counted for, and that things will get a bit... iffy with what she's dipping in while she's in the pharmacy (since you said he has a history of abuse).

[ijuanabhappy, ASN, RN]

It is not your position to delve into her past. Unless it is adversely affecting patient care, I would say leave things be. If she is going to hang herself, she will do it with her own rope. I'd stay out of it.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I echo what the other posters are saying. She had a prior relationship with this person. Unless there is something you didn't post, no medications or prescription pads are missing...what is there really to report? You may not agree with her lifestyle choices, for sure...but, otherwise, what are you really seeking to do?

Doing research on this client may violate HIPPA for several reasons; there was no clinical reason to do so, for one, and the client has the right to have a life and lifestyle that we may not agree with. Also, there may be more specifics that the BON did not say...sexual contact with a patient may mean while on facility grounds, and while the patient is not in a position to care for himself. He is a grown man who consented to this relationship. Maybe this nurse developed this relationship once the nurse-client boundaries were no longer in effect (when he was discharged).

[Fiona59]

My first though, was hell, she's working with xxx that I used to work with on a prn basis. It took a year but the management and doctors finally saw what we were dealing with in the office and patient rooms and she left. She still comes into the clinic with her boyfriend but now we can tell her to step out as she's not his legal guardian.

Just bide your time, she'll fall on her own sword sooner rather than later.

[justme1972]

Again, not trying to be mean, but I also noticed that you are a newly licensed LPN. So I find myself wondering how you were involved in the "hiring" process to start with.

I really and truly hope that this isn't how you plan to get "recognition" in your career, by seeking out co-workers and trying to destroy their reputation and careers.

Healthcare settings are gossipy enough without people adding to it.

Don't get the reputation of being the "clinic troublemaker". The healthcare field is a small one, and even smaller when you are HIV-specialized...considering this person is an RN and has been practicing for awhile...don't be surprised one day if you find yourself in a situation where this person is your boss.

I apologize in advance, this situation really as me bothered on just how far some people will go in a work setting just because they don't like you. It is very, very disturbing.

[RN1982]

What's up with all the gossiping? We had another thread about gossip (the herpes thread, no offense). It's crazy.

Anyhow, she had this relationship prior to working at that clinic. Mind your own business.