Surveillance cameras in pedi patient's home?

Specialties Private Duty

Published

I have been working this case for my 8 year-old private care patient for a few years. Her other two nurses have been there longer than me. We are considered family by her parents and they are very demanding about her care for understandable reasons. Today we were informed that they were getting a new security system installed and they decided to put video cameras in her bedroom and living/nurses area. They can watch us at any time they choose remotely. I have nothing to hide but the idea is bothering me quite a bit and I'm not real sure why. The other nurse is bothered as well. Any opinions?

I think it would only bother me if i was suspicious of the parents intentions. If it was always there it wouldnt matter. But if they installed it and said some flip comment, different story. Yet again, if they come out and tell you and don't just hide it secretly, id probably appreciate the fair warning.

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Specializes in Peds Homecare.

I'm retired now, but did high tech peds home care for years. I was never taped, and would have left the case if I was. Another thing, all my patients were not in their rooms 24/7. They were in their home, so after bathing, dressing, yadda, yadda, we went to the living room like most people do in their homes. My patients, big or little were not on bed rest and we interacted with their family. A PP on here certainly has a sad attitude about home care nurses. I could hear her shrill voice in my head as I read. I loved my patients and their families, and they loved me. I still have contact with my first kid, he's in his 30's now. Guess I'm kind of glad I am retired if it has come to this.

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There should not be an expectation of privacy when you are in someone's home except in the bathroom.

I did not have cameras but there were times I wish I had.

We let total strangers into our home. They are allegedly screened by the agency but we all know that some nurses are not really "known" to the agency as they were just hired off the street. And I think we have all seen plenty of posts by nurses here with "I got arrested for....., will it matter?" If nurses are willing to conceal past and present behavior from their employers, why would a family believe that every nurse would be honest with them?

I think every parent understands that even the best nurses get wedgies that need picking and itches that need scratching.

Doesn't the child have an expectation of privacy? If the cameras are filming while the child's private areas are in plane view of the camera it may even arise to child Media.

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Also in my state(new hampshire) it is illegal to video another persons genitals and or breasts in the their private dwelling(home), so a parent recording in the patients bedroom would be illegal if their genitals and or breasts were exposed in that bedroom as part of the patients care.

[h=1]TITLE LXII

CRIMINAL CODE[/h][h=2]CHAPTER 644

BREACHES OF THE PEACE AND RELATED OFFENSES[/h][h=3]Section 644:9[/h] 644:9 Violation of Privacy. –

I. A person is guilty of a class A misdemeanor if such person unlawfully and without the consent of the persons entitled to privacy therein, installs or uses:

(a) Any device for the purpose of observing, photographing, recording, amplifying, broadcasting, or in any way transmitting images or sounds of the private body parts of a person including the genitalia, buttocks, or female breasts, or a person's body underneath that person's clothing; or

(b) In any private place, any device for the purpose of observing, photographing, recording, amplifying or broadcasting, or in any way transmitting images or sounds in such place; or

© Outside a private place, any device for the purpose of hearing, recording, amplifying, broadcasting, observing, or in any way transmitting images, location, movement, or sounds originating in such place which would not ordinarily be audible, visible, or comprehensible outside such place.

II. As used in this section, "private place'' means a place where one may reasonably expect to be safe from surveillance including public restrooms, locker rooms, the interior of one's dwelling place, or any place where a person's private body parts including genitalia, buttocks, or female breasts may be exposed.

III. A person is guilty of a class A misdemeanor if that person knowingly disseminates or causes the dissemination of any photograph or video recording of himself or herself engaging in sexual activity with another person without the express consent of the other person or persons who appear in the photograph or videotape. In this paragraph, "disseminate'' and "sexual activity'' shall have the same meaning as in RSA 649-A:2.

III-a. A person is guilty of a misdemeanor if, for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the person's sexual desire, he or she knowingly views another person, without that person's knowledge or consent, in a place where one would have a reasonable expectation of privacy. For purposes of this paragraph, "views'' means looking at another person with the unaided eye or any device intended to improve visual acuity.

IV. A person is guilty of a misdemeanor if such person knowingly enters any residential curtilage, as defined in RSA 627:9, I, or any other private place as defined in paragraph II of this section, without lawful authority and looks into the residential structure thereon or other private place with no legitimate purpose.

V. Paragraphs I and II shall not be construed to impair or limit any otherwise lawful activities of law enforcement personnel, nor are paragraphs I and II intended to limit employees of governmental agencies or other entities, public or private, who, in the course and scope of their employment and supported by articulable suspicion, attempt to capture any type of visual image, sound recording, or other physical impression of a person during an investigation, surveillance, or monitoring of conduct to obtain evidence of suspected illegal activity, the suspected violation of any administrative rule or regulation, a suspected fraudulent insurance claim, or any other suspected fraudulent conduct or activity involving a violation of law, or pattern of business practices adversely affecting the public health or safety.Source. 1971, 518:1. 1995, 280:9. 2003, 256:1. 2004, 212:1, 2. 2005, 264:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2006. 2008, 334:7, eff. Jan. 1, 2009. 2012, 76:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2013.

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I'm not sure what your agencies policies are, but our nurses are told, "if they feel they need privacy in someone's home except for the bathroom then they are crossing boundaries of being too comfy and should maybe work in a public facility" The idea is that you should be acting as if someone is watching you at all times and you won't cut corners.:/

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Embarrassing story:

I have no problem with cameras. BUT, last week, I had been reading to my patient for like 2 hours straight (she was loving it.) But then I needed a break. I had been sitting in an awkward position to read to her and my back was hurting. I told her, "Ok, kiddo, my voice and back need a break for a bit." She continued flipping through her book.

I layed my back over the arm of the couch for about 10 minutes, stretching it. Looking pretty goofy hanging over the couch. Then I stood up and noticed a picture frame. I walked over to look at the picture which was my patient and her dad holding her. It was such an adorable pic that I just kind of looked at it for a few moments.

THEN, I saw RIGHT next to the picture frame, a camera. I just know It captured this off-gaurd, guilty look on my face. (Although I've done nothing wrong, just feeling self conscious. And I thought back to my laying over the edge of the couch looking ridiculous, and I was so embarrassed.

I think he should have to me there was a camera.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Embarrassing story:

I have no problem with cameras. BUT, last week, I had been reading to my patient for like 2 hours straight (she was loving it.) But then I needed a break. I had been sitting in an awkward position to read to her and my back was hurting. I told her, "Ok, kiddo, my voice and back need a break for a bit." She continued flipping through her book.

I layed my back over the arm of the couch for about 10 minutes, stretching it. Looking pretty goofy hanging over the couch. Then I stood up and noticed a picture frame. I walked over to look at the picture which was my patient and her dad holding her. It was such an adorable pic that I just kind of looked at it for a few moments.

THEN, I saw RIGHT next to the picture frame, a camera. I just know It captured this off-gaurd, guilty look on my face. (Although I've done nothing wrong, just feeling self conscious. And I thought back to my laying over the edge of the couch looking ridiculous, and I was so embarrassed.

I think he should have to me there was a camera.

Check with your agency. Many states even private homes must notify those working in the home that they are being recorded

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

Have you seen some of the stuff nanny cams and cams in nursing homes pick up? If I had a special needs child or an fragile elderly person who needed nursing care, I'd want to observe them, too.

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I think what she means is the nurse has the right to refuse a case. This is true, once you orient or start a case you have every right to tell your agency that you don't wish to be assigned that case and the fence finds another nurse (you don't walk out on the case as that would be abandonment). Just like a family can call the agency to refuse a nurse (request a change in provider). My classmate oriented to my primary case. Parents weren't comfortable and they requested the agency never send her back, and she hasn't been back since.

The fence?

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I wonder if the nurse can wear a body camera that pictures the setting from her perspective.

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Calliotter3 here in TX at least it is standard practice and ALL families have cameras. We all just have to live with it or we don't have a job. Yes it's unpleasant, and yes, I've had the Nazi mom that had nothing better to do all day than watch my every move from her bdrm, but aside from extreme cases like that it's not so bad.

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Calliotter3 here in TX at least it is standard practice and ALL families have cameras. We all just have to live with it or we don't have a job. Yes it's unpleasant, and yes, I've had the Nazi mom that had nothing better to do all day than watch my every move from her bdrm, but aside from extreme cases like that it's not so bad.

Everyone involved has a choice. The family insists on having cameras, then nurses have the choice not to work in that kind of atmosphere. The agency has the choice whether or not they are going to attempt to accommodate the family. The obligation of the agency is to provide nurses professionally capable of providing the required nursing care. That is all. They do not need to put any kind of further stipulation on their employees or their customers. If agencies refused to make working with cameras rolling a stipulation for work, then the families would have the choice to take their business elsewhere or provide the nursing care themselves. When somebody makes it a point to inform me they want my cooperation in providing them evidence to more easily sue me and my employer, you can bet I won't buy into that scenario. If the family does not trust me to take care of the patient without cameras rolling then they don't want me in their home and I don't want to enter their home. All is well.

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