My best friend recently visited me over the weekend and she was telling me about her neighbor's daughter who recently had T&A surgery. The neighbor offered the OR nurse $50 to pierce her child's ears while she was under GA. Lo and behold, the daughter had pierced ears when I saw her, and was bragging that she had it done at the surgery center. The child is 9.
I was flabbergasted. Although the neighbor WANTED this done, the CHILD wanted it done, and the OR nurse apparently carried out the ear piercing herself, I am still in shock. I didn't see the consent of course, and I know that it could have been included...but the OR nurse accepted the $50. Isn't that illegal? Or is it just unethical?
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
My best friend recently visited me over the weekend and she was telling me about her neighbor's daughter who recently had T&A surgery. The neighbor offered the OR nurse $50 to pierce her child's ears while she was under GA. Lo and behold, the daughter had pierced ears when I saw her, and was bragging that she had it done at the surgery center. The child is 9.
I was flabbergasted. Although the neighbor WANTED this done, the CHILD wanted it done, and the OR nurse apparently carried out the ear piercing herself, I am still in shock. I didn't see the consent of course, and I know that it could have been included...but the OR nurse accepted the $50. Isn't that illegal? Or is it just unethical?
Anyone else hear of such a thing?
Although ANYTHNG is possible, I have learned to never use words like NEVER and AWAYS........I have some serious doubts about this one. I like the statement that bluegrass made........You would have to pay me a lot more than $50 to perform an act that could lead to me losing my job and possibly my license. I am not doubting that her ears got pierced.........just that the "OR Nurse" did it on the side for $50.00 . I don't believe the neighbor's story and unless I saw the nurse do it myself AND take the $50.00.
"My issue was her giving money to the nurse with a "wink wink, nod, nod". " Is heresay and therefore not true. If there was a consent......approved by the MD and the fee is $50.00.........IS perfectly legal.
Personally I think she got ripped off and she is not so "clever".........My pedi office will pierce ears for the office co-pay.........$20.00:smokin:.
On a side note.........A guide to Corporate Compliance requirements
Don't know what state it was - or if the "nurse" was a nurse or PA or NP or whatnot... but in my state a nurse can't even clip a wayward fingernail - so i would be surprised that a nurse could pierce ears... granted - an 18 year old at tha mall can also do it, but i supose that the 18 yo doesn't have a license to protect. ..
Sounds like a good bargain story for this person who likes to one-up everybody when it comes to bargains, as well as a snide way to take down professional nurses a notch or two in the telling. I don't believe the story.
Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
Thanks for the replies, y'all. I think Caliotter is very astute in her assessment of the situation. The neighbor is absolutely the kind of person that wants to "one up" everyone. I can only hope that she was making this up, but I wanted to ask you guys first if anyone had seen or experienced this kind of situation.
I guess I should call BS on the neighbor. What worries me is that since this neighbor IS so obnoxious, and would be perfectly comfortable announcing this scenario on a bullhorn if she could, couldn't she be harming the reputation of this facility as well as the OR nurse by her story if, in fact, she is making it up? Now I am concerned that the OR nurse might be harmed by all of this if it turns out to be completely fabricated. We live in a sub-division with lots of docs and nurses in the same neighborhood, and I have no doubt that this will come to light.
So now that I have gotten some responses, my next two questions are these:
1. Should I confront the neighbor and have a heart to heart with her while explaining that if, in fact, she fabricated the part of the story where she slipped $50 to the OR nurse, it will not only harm the nurse, but also that the nurse could sue her for slander (hoping that the neighbor will then see the gravity of the situation), or
2. Should I just shut my mouth and stay out of it, all the while worrying about this nurse who could lose her job over something that was made up by the neighbor to impress her friends.
I value each and every one of your opinions. My gut says to shut my mouth since I was not actually a witness to the scenario described. However, I also feel that I must stand up for my fellow nursing professional if she is being thrown under the bus by someone who is using her daughter's surgery for entertainment fodder.
Help me discern what is the best route, you guys. Thanks so much for your opinions.
i had my ears pierced by a surgeon, in his office. several of us were planning to pierce each other's ears in one kid's bedroom with a big needle, and the friend's dad (at the house where we were plotting)
overheard us and offered to do it for us in his office instead, if, and only if, our parents all oked it first. we were 13. since i keloid, that was probably a good plan!
I would keep my mouth shut, or at the most, roll my eyes and let your bf know that it's actually highly unlikely that the nurse accepted an under-the-table bribe for piercing a child's ears.
The docs and nurses in your area are I'm sure for the most part critical thinkers that are used to hearing outrageous stories about people's supposed health care experiences. If you'd listen to my neighbor, one of our local cardiologists killed her husband by implanting a pacemaker that he knew was malfunctional, and then not telling him about it for 15 years until it finally killed the husband. Yes, because we all know pacers fix CHF *and* diabetes (her words). The reason he did this, she heard from a friend who has a friend who works as a housekeeper in his office and overheard this, is that he got a bunch of these pacemakers for free when they were discontinued, and so he could charge for the pacer even though he got it for free. Yup. When I tried to explain what a pacer actually does, and how, for example, the supply system for surgery works, she absolutely would not believe me and ended up telling me that she wonders if maybe I was in on it (since I defended him and work in the same hospital where the pacer was implanted).
Folks make up and believe crazy stuff about us all the time.
ppfffttt.... Stay out of it, if this neighbor is as obnoxious as she sounds anything you say to her will either fall on deaf ears, or encourage her to embellish her story more, maybe with you as a character in it!
Nurses can and do perform piercings, and I read about some who do tattooing as well. Regardless I wouldn't waste much time on this lady, she sounds like a drain in the @55!
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Thanks for the replies, y'all. I think Caliotter is very astute in her assessment of the situation. The neighbor is absolutely the kind of person that wants to "one up" everyone. I can only hope that she was making this up, but I wanted to ask you guys first if anyone had seen or experienced this kind of situation.
I guess I should call BS on the neighbor. What worries me is that since this neighbor IS so obnoxious, and would be perfectly comfortable announcing this scenario on a bullhorn if she could, couldn't she be harming the reputation of this facility as well as the OR nurse by her story if, in fact, she is making it up? Now I am concerned that the OR nurse might be harmed by all of this if it turns out to be completely fabricated. We live in a sub-division with lots of docs and nurses in the same neighborhood, and I have no doubt that this will come to light.
So now that I have gotten some responses, my next two questions are these:
1. Should I confront the neighbor and have a heart to heart with her while explaining that if, in fact, she fabricated the part of the story where she slipped $50 to the OR nurse, it will not only harm the nurse, but also that the nurse could sue her for slander (hoping that the neighbor will then see the gravity of the situation), or
2. Should I just shut my mouth and stay out of it, all the while worrying about this nurse who could lose her job over something that was made up by the neighbor to impress her friends.
I value each and every one of your opinions. My gut says to shut my mouth since I was not actually a witness to the scenario described. However, I also feel that I must stand up for my fellow nursing professional if she is being thrown under the bus by someone who is using her daughter's surgery for entertainment fodder.
Help me discern what is the best route, you guys. Thanks so much for your opinions.
I would consider the source nd not get involved unless the "neighbor" tells you the same story. Then you can tell her that as a medical professional you find her story very entertaining....in your experience, hyou afre SURE there ismore details unknown to her (the neighbor) don't dignify or reward her behavior by participating.
As for other professionals.......I am sure they too can see the whole situaton for the story it is.........If there is fact to the story then that will come out in the wash.........
My advice......steer clear! and don't participate! Good luck
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.
I would just ignore the whole thing.
Seems the neighbor has no problem with it and if it is true and the surgery center did it let us just assume they are allowed to do that.
I do not see that any action is required by you and you have no responsibility to "be a crusader" and look into the matter either. If the mother had complained to you then your only responsibility would be to refer her to the admin of the surgery center.
Isn't $50 an awful lot to pay for pierced ears? I did my own when I was a teenager -- cold potato/hot needle, an alcohol prep, voila. I didn't have any problems. Not recommending it to anyone, I was young and stupid, but is $50 really a better buy then at the mall or the Dr. office? That doesn't sound like a good bargain.
The whole thing sounds kind of strange. I can't imagine a nurse putting her license on the line for a mere $50. I'd save my energy for the stuff that really matters.
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Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN
20,908 Posts
Although ANYTHNG is possible, I have learned to never use words like NEVER and AWAYS........I have some serious doubts about this one. I like the statement that bluegrass made........You would have to pay me a lot more than $50 to perform an act that could lead to me losing my job and possibly my license. I am not doubting that her ears got pierced.........just that the "OR Nurse" did it on the side for $50.00
. I don't believe the neighbor's story and unless I saw the nurse do it myself AND take the $50.00.
"My issue was her giving money to the nurse with a "wink wink, nod, nod". " Is heresay and therefore not true. If there was a consent......approved by the MD and the fee is $50.00.........IS perfectly legal.
Personally I think she got ripped off and she is not so "clever".........My pedi office will pierce ears for the office co-pay.........$20.00:smokin:.
On a side note.........A guide to Corporate Compliance requirements
http://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/docs/complianceguidance/040203CorpRespRsceGuide.pdf