Texas Children's investigates RN for social media HIPAA violation

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A neurosurgeon reportedly went rogue and posted screen shots to the TCH West of the nurse's posts. Ones she later deleted when she realized she said too much including wanting to swab the child and infect her unvaccinated teenager son. TX antivax FB groups are reportedly conspiring how much to offer for a swab of the toddler.

Texas Children's Hospital nurse investigated for Facebook posting as Houston toddler tests positive for measles | abc13.com

Thing is there were no "measles parties". Homes if those infected with measles were quarantined by the DoH. My mother was of the prevaccine generation born in the late 40's. Remembers classmates with polio and red quarantine signs. Her own home was quarantined when she had scarlet fever.

Measles infection puts one at risk for fatal post measles encephalitis known as Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) years after infection. Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

And measles has been shown to likely long term "immune amnesia" where your immunity is wiped out. Long-term measles-induced immunomodulation increases overall childhood infectious disease mortality Long-lasting effects of "immune amnesia" induced by measles | Emory University | Atlanta, GA

Antivaxers do not belong in nursing. Period.

THIS^

I hope she completely has her license stripped from her.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I don't think the woman is quite bright enough to work in PICU, based on her reckless Facebook postings, as she is well aware of the risk to her job and license as she explained to the others why she deleted some of her responses. This is not the kind of person who merely has a difference of opinion, but a crusader who in my opinion would surreptitiously attempt to bring new parents into the fold, as the controversy is one most of them are aware of. This is scary!

Love you all! Keep strong in your beliefs! We are all on this journey for a reason! And we are not wrong in our beliefs/convictions!

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Specializes in hospice, LTC, public health, occupational health.

Oh yeah, she has been fired! TXBON, your turn!

Texas Children's Hospital nurse fired after posting Houston toddler's positive measles results on Facebook | abc13.com

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Specializes in ER.

Well, she deserved to be fired.

I want to say, I don't approve of the vitriol toward the anti-vaccination movement. It strikes me as almost jihadist in its tone, and only serves to escalate differences and fuel paranoia that they are victims of persecution.

Vaccines are but one tool that has improved life expectancy. More significant ones are sanitation, water treatment, housing improvements, dental care. These things actually had a greater impact than vaccines.

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I don't think the woman is quite bright enough to work in PICU

Love you all! Keep strong in your beliefs! We are all on this journey for a reason! And we are not wrong in our beliefs/convictions!

I had a thought related to this, but I've changed my mind.

It had to do with the common hiring theme of recent, which seems to be that some rah-rah can-do attitude is most always more valuable than an interest in the actual art or science of nursing.

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Specializes in hospice, LTC, public health, occupational health.
I don't approve of the vitriol toward the anti-vaccination movement. It strikes me as almost jihadist in its tone, and only serves to escalate differences and fuel paranoia that they are victims of persecution.

Picture me ululating tribal style while repeating that antivaxxers do not belong in health care.

Vaccines are but one tool that has improved life expectancy. More significant ones are sanitation, water treatment, housing improvements, dental care. These things actually had a greater impact than vaccines.

Yeah, all the sanitation, clean water, and dental care must be why India recently eradicated polio. :sniff:

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Specializes in ER.
Picture me ululating tribal style while repeating that antivaxxers do not belong in health care.

Yeah, all the sanitation, clean water, and dental care must be why India recently eradicated polio. :sniff:

You seem very angry regarding my statement.

I got curious. I found a fascinating article about polio. It wasn't common before the 20th century. The article hypothesizes that prior to that, infants were inoculated through their mother's breast milk. I hope you take the time to read this article, it is an eye opener for me!

Polio - Our World in Data

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Specializes in NICU.

Fierce wow.

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Specializes in hospice, LTC, public health, occupational health.
You seem very angry regarding my statement.

You called pro science people with no patience for dangerous antivaxxers "jihadist" but my mildly ironic response to you seems angry? K.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.

Everything else aside......THIS is why I do not have social media at all, period.

That is all. I don't even have the energy to go through the stupidity of what the nurse did in regards to a blatant violation not to mention the whole antivaxx mindframe.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

I want to say, I don't approve of the vitriol toward the anti-vaccination movement. It strikes me as almost jihadist in its tone, and only serves to escalate differences and fuel paranoia that they are victims of persecution.

I think much of the outrage here is related to the fact this particular nurse, in full disclosure of how sick this child was, was entertaining the idea of taking an invasive swab without consent for the direct purpose of spreading a potentially fatal disease to other children. Anti-vaccine or pro-vaccine, I feel most nurses would have a guttural reaction to this.

Vaccines are but one tool that has improved life expectancy. More significant ones are sanitation, water treatment, housing improvements, dental care. These things actually had a greater impact than vaccines.

I got curious. I found a fascinating article about polio. It wasn't common before the 20th century. The article hypothesizes that prior to that, infants were inoculated through their mother's breast milk. I hope you take the time to read this article, it is an eye opener for me!

The article you cited directly contradicts your comments about sanitation!

I'm not sure that polio is a good disease to use in making an argument that vaccines are not effective. There is a near perfect correlation of vaccine administration and disease eradication.

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Specializes in Practice educator.
Well, she deserved to be fired.

I want to say, I don't approve of the vitriol toward the anti-vaccination movement. It strikes me as almost jihadist in its tone, and only serves to escalate differences and fuel paranoia that they are victims of persecution.

Vaccines are but one tool that has improved life expectancy. More significant ones are sanitation, water treatment, housing improvements, dental care. These things actually had a greater impact than vaccines.

Jihadist in tone...I mean, I could understand evangelical to a point, but Jihadist seems like a pretty stupid analogy.

I don't really care about fueling their paranoia, they're dangerous to society and they deserve every ounce of scorn.

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