I am also a student nurse and was caring for a pedi pt that had a appendectomy. I was ambulating him down the hall, taking it slow. My fellow student was about 10 ft behind me, walking with my pt's mother. Earlier in the day, the mother had asked me what was wrong with the baby next door b/c it had been crying all night long. I said I dont know but I know that when babies are in an unfamiliar surrounding, they are not easily comforted. Maybe we can get a fan in to make white noise to drowned out some of the crying. I didnt reveal anything that was wrong with the pt or even if it was m or f. My comrade on the other hand told her that she thought she was sick with a stomach flu and pretty cranky but they are from ***** and she knew them. She said she thinks they are going home today.
I know I should have said something right then and there, but it is hard as a student to already put up with everyone thinking you are a perfectionist or a know it all. I didnt want to embarrasse the mother in front of her child. I still have the ablitity to do something b/c this just happened this week and we have not had classes yet.
:confused:What should I do? Tell the student something or tell the instructor. This student and I already have a bit of bad blood b/c I have called her on something before (privately but she ended up telling her groupies).
I would take care of it privately rather than risk her place in the program.
I would tell the student, "I heard what you said to the Mom...what they teach you about HIPAA in school is practiced in the facilities, except if you violate HIPAA you can not only lose your job but get santioned by the Board of Nursing...we don't gossip about patients. The only person that has the power to change that, is you."
Thanks everyone... I am thinking I will let it ride. This isn't her 1st time to do this, so I am guessing she will get caught by the powers that be sooner or later. I enough on my plate to deal with; I asked because I didn't know if this was so outrageous that I should speak up or not. It didn't actually hurt anyone, just my pride in our class, lol. I'm not perfect and I hope there isn't anyone out there that is. It would be pretty boring if there was nothing else left on the earth to learn
the aide had a part time job there and was saying to another shopper, "if i ever get leigonnaires disease, have to take cortisone, and blow up like a toad, just shoot me before the first pill.":eek: she then went to to share several medical details from my mom's chart that she should never have been privvy to. the capper?? her friend responded, "you must be talking about___ ___.
whereupon the aide/hardware store clerk answered, "it isn't a hipaa violation because i didn't mention her name. she can't sue me, even if she is an attorney, because i never mentioned her name."
she didn't get sued, but she did get a quick lesson on what hipaa is and is not.
wow... i think i would have grown some quick and said something in this case. i wouldnt be scared to hurt someones feelings or overstep my boundries like i am now! how dare that wo/man! maybe i will just say something in class like can you go over hipaa standards when talking abt pt's. is it ok if you refrain from saying a name but talk abt what is going on? the instructors can take it from there. kinda like getting a refresher for all of us and i didnt put anyone in the spotlight.
Wow... I think I would have grown some quick and said something in this case. I wouldnt be scared to hurt someones feelings or overstep my boundries like I am now! How dare that wo/man! Maybe I will just say something in class like can you go over HIPAA standards when talking abt pt's. Is it ok if you refrain from saying a name but talk abt what is going on? The instructors can take it from there. Kinda like getting a refresher for ALL of us and I didnt put anyone in the spotlight.
I wouldn't say anything to the instructor or classmate. If you do, it will make the situation worse. Maybe the classmate didn't realize that she was violating HIPAA or maybe she didn't care.I don't know. Just do what you are told to do and don't get involved with things that can affect your school. I only help people who appreciate it. Some people give you bad attitude when you try to help or tell them something important, instead of thanking you. When people tell me I am doing something wrong, or show me another way to do a procedure I thank them 1000000 times.
she was in the hardware store when she overheard a familiar voice. it was a nurses aide from one of my mom's hospitalizations. the aide had a part time job there and was saying to another shopper, "if i ever get leigonnaires disease, have to take cortisone, and blow up like a toad, just shoot me before the first pill.":eek: she then went to to share several medical details from my mom's chart that she should never have been privvy to. the capper?? her friend responded, "you must be talking about___ ___.
whereupon the aide/hardware store clerk answered, "it isn't a hipaa violation because i didn't mention her name. she can't sue me, even if she is an attorney, because i never mentioned her name."
she didn't get sued, but she did get a quick lesson on what hipaa is and is not.
wow... i think i would have grown some quick and said something in this case. i wouldnt be scared to hurt someones feelings or overstep my boundries like i am now! how dare that wo/man! maybe i will just say something in class like can you go over hipaa standards when talking abt pt's. is it ok if you refrain from saying a name but talk abt what is going on? the instructors can take it from there. kinda like getting a refresher for all of us and i didnt put anyone in the spotlight.
oh boy! my mother was never ever told she needed to "grow a pair..." i can just hear her laughing all the way from heaven! it was more a matter of having limited time because she was running a lunchtime errand and hoped she'd be able to grab a tuna sandwich while at the drugstore picking up a script. i'm sorry, but there are tears running down my cheeks because i laughed so hard at the image your words conjured up. thank you!
i think the op should just quiet because people like her classmate always manage to hang themselves
I didnt reveal anything that was wrong with the pt or even if it was m or f. My comrade on the other hand told her that she thought she was sick with a stomach flu and pretty cranky but they are from ***** and she knew them. She said she thinks they are going home today.
I know I should have said something right then and there, but it is hard as a student to already put up with everyone thinking you are a perfectionist or a know it all. I didnt want to embarrasse the mother in front of her child. I still have the ablitity to do something b/c this just happened this week and we have not had classes yet.
:confused:What should I do? Tell the student something or tell the instructor. This student and I already have a bit of bad blood b/c I have called her on something before (privately but she ended up telling her groupies).
Welcome to nursing...where everything is not always done by the book...that said . I don't agree with what this person did...but I know that nurses sometimes talk way too much. You stated that there is a "bit of bad blood" between the two of you...if there wasn't would you have come up with this post? I don't think anything should be done at this point...there is nothing to do, the info has been exchanged and no one was hurt...since this person doesn't like you, she wouldn't welcome your asking why she breached patient confidentiality. And as long as you are not giving out patient information yourself...I think that's all that matters.
Your first priority is not to monitor fellow students (instructor's job), but to ensure your successful completion of the program. First and foremost I want you to look at this situation as an important training exercise. Chances are you'll be faced with many more such situations. Whatever you decide to do, remember it and see how you feel about it in six months or so.
oh boy! my mother was never ever told she needed to "grow a pair..." i can just hear her laughing all the way from heaven! it was more a matter of having limited time because she was running a lunchtime errand and hoped she'd be able to grab a tuna sandwich while at the drugstore picking up a script. i'm sorry, but there are tears running down my cheeks because i laughed so hard at the image your words conjured up. thank you!
i think the op should just quiet because people like her classmate always manage to hang themselves
sooner rather than later.
lololololol!!! i meant that me, myself, and i would grow the aformentioned pair.... hahaha! oh gosh, my grannie would kill me if i ever told someone to do that! (never kept her from telling me to tho!)
lololololol!!! i meant that me, myself, and i would grow the aformentioned pair.... hahaha! oh gosh, my grannie would kill me if i ever told someone to do that! (never kept her from telling me to tho!)
you're fine, but i just have the sillies today. my wonderful mom died in 1987 and i have been really missing her lately. that mental image was just what i needed today! sometimes what your grannie doesn't know won't hurt her... i know! i know! i'm bad.
Funny stuff. And lots of good advice too. OP, the first thing that crossed my mind when I read your story is "I would be afraid of 'guilt by association' " If I had to work side by side with a person who has poor judgement, I would be concerned that somehow I could be implicated. I would be looking for a way somehow to c.y.a.
and i didnt put anyone in the spotlight.
. I don't agree with what this person did...but I know that nurses sometimes talk way too much. You stated that there is a "bit of bad blood" between the two of you...if there wasn't would you have come up with this post? I don't think anything should be done at this point...there is nothing to do, the info has been exchanged and no one was hurt...since this person doesn't like you, she wouldn't welcome your asking why she breached patient confidentiality. And as long as you are not giving out patient information yourself...I think that's all that matters.
BabyLady, BSN, RN
2,300 Posts
I would take care of it privately rather than risk her place in the program.
I would tell the student, "I heard what you said to the Mom...what they teach you about HIPAA in school is practiced in the facilities, except if you violate HIPAA you can not only lose your job but get santioned by the Board of Nursing...we don't gossip about patients. The only person that has the power to change that, is you."