Taking picture of patient?

[rkitty198]

Hello all-

A co-worker of mine cared for a minor celebrity and was herself a fan. She wanted a picture with the patient and asked if I wanted to get one too. I declined. She took the picture after the patient was discharged. The patient was dressed and standing outside the room.

After having a very busy day I didnt think much about it. I told another co-worker about myself not "getting a picture" with this patient and then I thought I was glad I didnt choose to, because I didnt think it was right (although it would have been neat to have a picture). The co-worker I told, reported this Nurse to management.

This Nurse had a meeting with management and her job is in jeopardy.

Is this wrong? I personally think it is, but I would never want to get my co-worker into trouble. I feel so bad by saying anything as it is affecting her.

Also this staff member was contacted that evening by this former patient for a bleeding IV site issue at discharge and was instructed to go to the ED (I thought calling 911 would have been better as he was at home). My co-worker met the patient in the ED after she was clocked out and off duty to see how the patient was. Do you think this is inappropriate?

I feel badly for her.

What do you all think?

[IHeartPeds87]

Just curious, why would it be considered a violation if the patient said it was okay to take the picture?

[RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN]

I don't know, there are three sides to every story. Her truth, your truth and the truth right?

Well, I can't really say much without listening to her side but if the adult celebrity consented or possibly asked to take the pic with the nurse then I don't see the problem.

The patient could have easily called the unit and asked to speak with her discharge nurse and then let her know about the bleeding IV site.

As to meeting the patient in the ER............did the celebrity ask her to be there? Or did she go and stick her nose where it did not belong?

We don't really know that.

Having said that, I would have not taken the picture either and politely declined. I would have not also met the pt in the ER. Strict business ya know.

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

I took care of a professional athlete, and he asked us if we wanted autographs and pictures. Since it was his idea, I didn't see a problem with it. Actually, I didn't even realize he was famous until he told us how he injured himself.

Also, our managers weren't there that day, so...

:)

[Scrubby]

Just curious, why would it be considered a violation if the patient said it was okay to take the picture?

I personally don't believe that the patient should even be asked in the first place. It's unprofessional and in a way is taking advantage of a patient.

I don't believe that the nurse should lose their job over this but they should be disciplined and educated about the importance of maintaining professional boundaries.

[Quark09]

I agree with most of the other posters in that it was unprofessional... as a celebrity, they are probably used to having fans approach them in uncomfortable situations and asking for pictures; while they're usually graceful, I do think a hospital setting should be a place they can be treated/recuperate in private. Whether or not the patient said it was okay - he should not have been asked in the first place.

And as morte wrote, the OP gossiping about the nurse in question with a coworker seems out-of-line too... not that many of us haven't done the same though.

I don't think the nurse should lose her job though; I would think a refresher on HIPAA and an in-house reprimand would suffice.

[Belle Epoque]

Was taking the picture necessary to maintain a therapeutic nurse-patient relationship? No. Therefore, it was irresponsible and overstepped professional boundaries.

[Emergency RN]

Just curious, why would it be considered a violation if the patient said it was okay to take the picture?

Absolutely. In my institution, all photographs taken on the premises have to be released (signed by the patient) and the photographer has to be an authorized person designated by the hospital. This is both to protect the patient and the hospital in terms of HIPAA standards. IMHO, the woman in this case let her star seeking behavior blind her professionalism; she wanted a personal souvenir of her contact with celebrity and allowed it to get the better of her judgment. While I don't think she should lose her job over it, in this day and political climate, I think she may have done just that.

[rkitty198, BSN, RN]

To add more to the story, we have paper charting and have access to the charts until medical records picks up the charts at 9pm after the patient has been discharged.

Management knows about the phone call from celebrity to RN because the RN that told on her was there when the phone call took place and she got so fed up she decided to tell about both situations.

Just playing devils advocate:

What about telling the patient to call 911- if a patient calls the unit bleeding?

Wouldnt that be a better idea then telling them to drive to the ED?

I was there at the time of the phone call (as well as the RN who told) so I did hear the conversation from her end

Back to the picture:

This patient did supposedly give verbal consent.

*Say a patient does give consent, as in this case, what if they are under the influence of narcotics? What then?

Thank you for your opinions.

[davebigs]

I cannot understand why a nurse would be glad that another nurse's job was in jeopardy. My position is that if you thought it was inappropriate to take the picture then don't do it. But why in the world would you need to mention it to anyone else. It is an adult patient and patient safety was not an issue, so, why not just let it go.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

I agree with most of the other posters in that it was unprofessional... as a celebrity, they are probably used to having fans approach them in uncomfortable situations and asking for pictures; while they're usually graceful, I do think a hospital setting should be a place they can be treated/recuperate in private. Whether or not the patient said it was okay - he should not have been asked in the first place.

And as morte wrote, the OP gossiping about the nurse in question with a coworker seems out-of-line too... not that many of us haven't done the same though.

I don't think the nurse should lose her job though; I would think a refresher on HIPAA and an in-house reprimand would suffice.

lol, i was talking about the nurse who felt it nec. to report the photo taking, I would bet you 50$ that she/he has an ax to grind with the photo taker....and i am one cheap son of a gun! lol

[Mulan]

I think you should have minded your own business and kept your mouth shut.

[jossjjojo]

Here's what I'm not getting. I DC IV's all the time. At first they do bleed ferociously if you don't apply immediate pressure. Within a couple of minutes it stops. I still place several folded 2x2's on the site and wrap the site with coban. Goodness, by the time the patient is discharged, taken outside, took a picture, went home, even on blood thinners it would not start bleeding again so badly that it required an ER visit. I mean please.....

As far as the picture. It is unprofessional if taken on hospital grounds even if the minor celebrity said it was "okay". But I don't think it's a big enough deal to report it.