Student Concerns...

have you seen her impaired at clinical? how do you know this is true? unless you are witnessing behavior that puts patients at risk, my advice is to mind your own business.

I would encourage you to review "acceptable" disclosures under HIPAA:

Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule

You have no idea what she is there for, whether or not she is being inappropriately prescribed medications, or anything else. I wish I could say this louder: MYOB. I mean it. You will only make trouble for yourself regardless. And if you are already a working nurse and not a student who might possibly not know any better, do check the HIPAA disclosure rules. That goes triple if you work in that ER.

If you are at clinical and you witness…as in actually see…her doing something unsafe, the report it to your clinical instructor. Otherwise, mind you business! Aside from the HIPAA issues, how would you like it if someone made an assumption about you abilities and possible impairment based solely on a few visits you made to the ED? How do you know that she is going to the ED just to get narcs? Once you start making assumptions about why someone is in the ED vis-à-vis pain meds, you are going down a dark road too many nurses have gone down.

It is absolutely none of your business and I have no idea why you think it would be. Thinking you need to listen a little better in pharm lecture. Just because someone takes a narcotic does not make them impaired. Also, violating HIPAA would most like get you kicked out of the program.

I know a nursing student who frequents the local ED seeking narcotic pain medications...which she always receives. I am concerned for her ability to treat patients while using narcotic medication. Can I anonymously report her? To who?

I hope you do report her so I can report you for a HIPAA violation. Mind your own.

I acknowledge that there are times when anonymous reporting is necessary. Say, for example, a LTC nurse calling the state ombudsman regarding patient care violations anonymously because s/he has been unsuccessful in correcting them in-house and fears job retaliation.

But I believe that anonymous reporting goes too far in most circumstances. In this case, why should a nurse be able to violate a patient's privacy, and try to destroy her schooling and career, without having to ID herself? If she is certain of her allegations, she should be confident enough to attach her name to them. Our court system allows the accused to confront their accusers as a safeguard against false reporting. No reason for our Boards of Nursing to be any different.

This is the best lesson you can learn.

Do not, under any circumstances, make assumptions based on gossip and innuendo, or half baked observations of which you do not know the entire clinical picture (and that is your only concern at work, the clinical picture and your therapeutic response to it).

You have no earthly idea why this person is going to the ER, you have no earthly idea what is being done for treatment, and if you are looking any of this up to satisfy some sort of weird curiosity, you can and will be discovered--and that would be the end of your career as a nurse.

Your focus needs to be on refining your own practice. No one else's but your own. The WORST habit a student can get into is focusing on what other classmates may or may not be doing, as opposed to what you, yourself, are doing.

If you are witness to practice by another student that is going to immediately cause harm to the patient, then by all means let your clinical instructor know. But you need to be mindful of your own practice, as this is what is going to be the foundation of your practice going forward.

My suggestion is to realign your priorities, and if your classmates are gossiping, run far, far, away. You do NOT want to be associated with people whose focus is not on patient care. You are only as good as your character as a nursing student in a clinical rotation. You want to stand out for good things. This could be the difference between getting a position when your graduate, or not.

I am assuming this is a classmate of yours, however, I am noting on your information that you may be an educator? 7 years of experience in ED and ICU? Come now, you know much better than this! If the student is coming in impaired, then you need to respond accordingly. Otherwise, I wouldn't make broad assumptions.

Let's say for a moment that she was prescribed narcotics by an ED provider. How did you find this out...through your own ED? All you know in this situation is that they were prescribed. She could have a legitimate reason for them, and unless she is taking them before or at work, her practice is not effected. She could be taking them before bed so that her pain doesn't keep her awake all night, and not coming into contact with pts for hours or days.

If you witness impaired behavior, that's one thing. But to base an assumption off of someone's word, or based on information that you are only privy to because of your status as an ED employee (basing that guess on your profile info--7 yrs experience in ED/ICU), and make assumptions about her ability to care for pts? You didn't say anything about her showing up impaired--only that she has an Rx.

Otherwise you need to MYOB, like PP's have suggested.

I know a nursing student who frequents the local ED seeking narcotic pain medications...which she always receives. I am concerned for her ability to treat patients while using narcotic medication. Can I anonymously report her? To who?

How do you know she is seeking narcotics rather than seeking appropriate care?

Are you part of her care team in the ED? If not, why do you know any of this at all? Have you been violating HIPAA laws?

Why do you have concerns about her ability to function as a nursing student? Are you making assumptions or have you observed something of concern in her clinical performance?

Why do you want to remain annonymous in your reporting?

Your post represents you as a busy body with designs on micromanaging the lives of your coworkers and colleagues.

The best advice you have received is to mind your own business.

Report her for what? Totally a mind your own business situation at this point!!