Student HIPAA Violation?

[bubbleboo556]

Hi Everyone. I was a new nursing student doing clinical at out local hospital. I was stupid, and did not think, and searched (but did NOT view or open) a medical record of a family member. I was just kind of like oh look I can search anyone. but again I did NOT view a medical record I knew better than that. I did not realize simply typing a name and seeing it in a list is violations HIPAA. I also got in trouble for viewing my own record, which I also did not know was against HIPAA. I got kicked out of my program. I am just wondering here did I actually break HIPAA since I never opened any files or records? Essentially all I did was see a name in a list. That was it. And for my own record, another student did this and did not get kicked out. 

[Hannah13Banana, ASN, RN]

Were you not taught what constitutes a HIPAA violation before entering the clinical setting?  Looking up a patient to see if they have received care at a certain facility when you are not privy to the record is a violation.  You should absolutely know what constitutes a violation before entering a clinical facility, whether you were taught through orientation to the clinical facility, classroom instruction, or assigned reading.