Shift report and HIPPA

[GiGiRNICU]

I work PRN in a hospital and I also take nursing students to the same hospital. My question is as the semester was ending, the hospital changed the policy on shift report...it is done at the bedside, in front of family/friends and even done if front of other patients (semi-private rooms). When I questioned the staff as did the staff to the managers and DON we were all told it was not a violation of HIPPA. Was told if there was something you didn't want your patient (family member) to hear, then you are to finish the report in the hall outside the door. Once again another HIPPA violation. Some of the nurses are refusing to give and receive report in patients room and are being told they had better!!!! I think someone higher up outside the hospital needs to notified of HIPPA violation and nurses being forced to do so. What happened was some big CEO from another hospital came in made rounds and made the suggestion that report should be at bedside and since he said it they think that is how it should be done and it is not a HIPPA violation.

[USIJurgy]

We have also started bedside report. I work in a busy emergency room and the patients are sometimes literally only separated from each other by six inches. It becomes difficult when you need to convey information such as the pt is HIV positive, has Hep C, has needed frequent doses of dilaudid, has family involved in a discussion on DNR status. It just seems silly to let three separate people hear this information (the other pts) when report could be given in the RN station, then the nurses and aides changing shift could just do a quick walk to introduce pts to the RN. Ugh, this is something that will just make its way everywhere though- like whiteboards in the ER, and 47 people needing to sign off on your heparin before you give it.

[oramar]

Glad I am out of the business. This is a pain, would never get out of the building. Sometimes I would have 8 to 10 patients, do you know how long it would take to give bedside report on all those people at 11pm and at 7am.

[GiGiRNICU]

Thanks for all of your replies. Since I work in ICU and with the scheduled visit times it is not that big of a problem, but on the floor and getting pulled, and taking the students is the problem. The patients are hearing things like lab test results and asking a ton of questions what's that?, is that good or bad? I didn't know they were even testing for that? And you all are right---report takes forever and the management is now saying we are taking too long to give report...duh....

[cookienay]

Actually, bedside reporting is a new JC initiative to improve handoff communication between caregivers. So, not only is JCAHO aware, it is sanctioned. Our privacy officers explained to us that all HIPPA requires is that "reasonable" efforts be made to protect privacy (whatever that means). BTW, we think it sucks too.