Well I"ve waited a bit to post, so give me your expert advice on this hot mess.
Had a patient, with a sexually transmitted life threatening disease that ended up on my ICU after they coded. Death was around the corner going full speed and a parent agreed to pull life support and let the patient pass peacefully.
NOW, the family demanded we not tell the fiancee what was wrong with the patient and why they were going to die, although the lack of knowledge would be life threatening for the patients partner... and future partners. The significant other had no idea how at risk they are.
So... other than alerting risk management and trying to get my peer to talk with the parent to share the info... what can you legally do? The fact that the parent would be willing to allow others to die like their child when it isn't necessary was astounding.
I'm all for HIPPA, but there needs to be circumstances in death... and preferably before then when it may be to late to intervene! No this is not a standard reportable STD, and I obviously can't say more.
any thoughts or experiences? I simply want to prevent more suffering and death. Why does it have to be so complicated... argh:mad:
i'm glad you realize that you probably shouldn't openly report it. i ask again, though, what do your boss, your risk manager boss, the doctors, etc. say? what is the law in your state about this? if your facility receives federal funds, maybe fed law supercedes state law? you probably need a lawyer to advise you on all of this.
i still wonder how you know the facts you've stated - that this happened when she was a teen, that the fiance does not know and isn't already + and maybe even getting treatment already, that no one has reported this to the public health dept., etc. is this gossip or did the patient tell you or do you know these people outside of the hospital or what?
the best advice i know is to follow up on the leads i've listed above. doesn't the fiance ever come to visit? how is it that he never talks to the doctors? is your patient lucid and verbal? maybe she can be led to tell the fiance.
pt. came in and died on the same shift... was not in the hospital long and was on life support. i don't know these people from anywhere else. the mom was the one who explicitly told us we were not to inform anyone coming in as to why the patient was there and what she was dying from including the future spouse.
life support was pulled and it took hours of convincing that we would be discrete before mom allowed him back to say goodbye to her.. tons of irate and upset family that were not allowed any information or allowed in to say goodbye.
management this morning said it is being followed through... so thats all i can do i guess. i just have to trust that the facility will do as required. thanks to everyone for some great links that i've read and great advice.
Zookeeper3
1,361 Posts
pt. came in and died on the same shift... was not in the hospital long and was on life support. i don't know these people from anywhere else. the mom was the one who explicitly told us we were not to inform anyone coming in as to why the patient was there and what she was dying from including the future spouse.
life support was pulled and it took hours of convincing that we would be discrete before mom allowed him back to say goodbye to her.. tons of irate and upset family that were not allowed any information or allowed in to say goodbye.
management this morning said it is being followed through... so thats all i can do i guess. i just have to trust that the facility will do as required. thanks to everyone for some great links that i've read and great advice.