What should I do?

Editorial Team / Admin · Oct 20, 2005

I've been working through an agency at RDC for 3 weeks. I was told yesterday to clock out and go home because of an incident that happened yesterday. To make a long story short.....we had new offenders coming in which they go through intake first. The intake nurse brought a guy over because his bp was 210/140 and was refusing meds to lower bp. So, Dr and I took him to her patient room and we brought a doc guy with us since we didn't know what kind of person he is.He kept refusing meds. Anyway, two more doc guys come in and was standing in the door way. Now, by now we have myself, one md, one psych dr,a rn nurse and 3 doc officers in the room. Doctor said that the door needs to be closed. Well, the other two doc officers just stood there. So, not knowing if they were being rude or just didn't hear her, I said you guys need to come in or go out so that the door can be closed. One of the doc officers said all I care about is getting him in shackles and taken back, then slammed the door. Well, I lost my job over that because the administrator told me that "these guys don't have rights, there is no hippa here and if the doc officers want to stand there with the door open, then thats the way it will be". I said no and I was told to leave. I am so dumbfounded by this. I've never lost a job. I've been told time and time again that the offenders will sue over anything and everything. Please give me some insight!!

Hello, redjosie,:balloons:

I am sorry this has happened to you. It does seem to be a little overblown if it was only a misunderstanding.....

To not give you a fair explanation and/or a gentle reminder to never do this again would seem appropriate. Now, if you were viewed as insubordinate and refused to comply by responding with "no", I can see why you were fired. IMHO.

When I was in correctional medicine, the rule was the same. If the guards ever thought the inmate needed to be "in view" at all times, and, in their opinion the door was never to be closed, the guard was always correct. No questions asked. No argument.

Again, I am sorry this happened to you. Have you or would you consider trying to speak with administration and getting this resolved? If you are wanting to go back????

fiestynurse · Oct 21, 2005

Security Comes First. I recommend always leaving the door slightly ajar - just enough for the Custody Officer to see you. This usually provides a certain degree of privacy for the inmate and allows for your safety.

The inmates do have some privacy rights, for instance a Custody Officer couldn't come in to the medical department and sit down and read an inmate's medical file. But, there are many carve outs in the privacy laws for correctional facilities.

The administrator was correct, many prisons, jails and detention facilities do not meet the "covered entity" requirements, so HIPAA’s rules and regulations do not apply to them.

Due to the fact that you are an agency nurse and you became argumentive and said, "no," when being told what the rules were regarding privacy vs safety - I would have fired you, too.

AnnabelleLee · Oct 21, 2005

what kind of wussy cos do you have? not to mention your spineless administrator. where are you, for pete's sake? i don't want to make the mistake of applying there.

fiestynurse · Oct 22, 2005

I agree with AnnabelleLee - I am a little surprised that the Custody Officers backed off and slammed the door, with the inmate witnessing this whole exchange. Very unprofessional and could have put you and the other medical staff in harms way. It's really important that medical and custody work together and not against each other.