Spousal Background Checks??? HUH

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I am a nursing student, but my friend graduated a month ago and applied for a GN position in a NICU in Orlando, Florida. Now, here is the puzzling thing maybe someone can help me with. She had to fill out the usual paperwork, sign for background check, fingerprint card and then came the odd thing. She was given a form and said that "If she has a spouse or significant other that is going to either be coming to the facility to see her or be on her medical insurance they needed this filled out." HUH.

Anybody heard of having to do this? I wasn't sure if it was because of her working in the NICU that they take extra precautions or what? I was quite and still am, unsure as to how, legally they can ask you to have your mate fill this thing out. My friend is kinda freaked out, not because of anything in her hubbies background but just wondering why on earth they insist on this. Is this new? She does not have any criminal background nor does her hubby. Anybody else have any insight into this "new and peculiar" item of paperwork?

Thanks for helping

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Specializes in Peds.

I believe the main thing this would be needed for is the insurance.

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Specializes in Acute Hemodialysis, Cardiac, ICU, OR.

No need to be freaked out... yet, anyway. Depends on what information they're requesting on the form. If they're gathering information to do a full background check on the spouse, I would ask specifically why -- you don't need a background check for health insurance! Then it's up to her (and her spouse) as to whether to go ahead and apply for the position. For some people it's no big deal, for others it's a MAJOR invasion of privacy.

I've never heard of a hospital (or any unit within a hospital) doing such a thing, but if the information is given voluntarily I don't see where any laws have been broken.

The best thing she can do is ASK, then make her decision after she has the facts.

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
She was given a form and said that "If she has a spouse or significant other that is going to either be coming to the facility to see her or be on her medical insurance they needed this filled out." HUH.

"coming to the facility to see her" vs. "be on her medical insurance" are two entirely different scenarios. Without knowing exactly what information was requested on the form, or what its purpose is, we really can't speculate on the appropriateness of this.

If you are curious and are on close enough terms with your friend, perhaps you could ask to see the form and the letter that came with it, or just ask her exactly what it said. I suspect it relates to insurability of her spouse and is not as nefarious as it has been presented here.

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Specializes in Public Health, DEI.

If he's going to be coming to the facility to see her? That sounds odd to me. Is it some sort of a secure facility or a place where security clearances are needed?

The insurance form makes more sense to me. Sometimes they go into even more detail for life insurance than for health.

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If the form is for the purpose of adding her hubby to her insurance, I can see filling it out. But the "coming to the workplace to see her" bit is what I don't get. I wouldn't authorize a background check for this. Her hubby can wait in the car in the parking lot and never come near her unit. Keep your privacy, or look for a job somewhere else. That is so overboard. He is not applying for the job. If he can't wait for her in the parking lot when she gets off work, then he can park off the premises. JMO

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