Question for Nurses.

[AQA]

The issue is "privacy".

Is there anything that will/would keep a nurse from openly speaking to anyone about a patients medical records or medical condition????

[Tuffy]

AQA, Try this site, I hope it helps.

http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/

[AQA]

Tuffy Wrote:AQA, Try this site, I hope it helps.

http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/

Tuffy, good evening. Thank you for the responce. I have started reading some of it. I do have a question though. Do all personel in the medical community have to follow those rules. What I mean is does the Dr., nursing staff, (RN, LVN, CNA, candy stripers, ect.ect) have to follow those rules??

Take Care

[red1030]

Hi AQA....yes they all do. Before HIPAA came into affect, all healthcare personnel had a responsibility to maintain a patients privacy. We could only give information to whom was listed on the medical record, we could not speak of the patient at the desk or in the hall way. I have known nurses who were in a restuarant begain to speak of a patient that they had had on the shift and a neighbor or family member was sitting with in ear length. These nurses went before the nursing board and they also lost their jobs and possibly was sued. Also know that in terms of these standards every state is different so some are more focused on this privacy issue that others, but all have some sort of standard of what is and what is not ok. Then HIPPA came into affect and as administrators we were responsible to assure that privacy was maintained etc. To do this, we had covers put on the medical records that did not reveal names, put comers on the medication administration records, the names from the doors were removed and in some places name bands were removed until they begain to listen to nurses who continually said this is not a safe practice for care. Also, we changed the way we distributed information to family and friends. It become for privacy conscious. HIPPA had an entire change in our everything we did was done. It is a federal law, and it is a good law especially with the emergent of computer technology. Today, it is mandatory for all healthcare facility to provide information about HIPPA during a new employees orientation. I hope this answers some of your questions. The web site above that Tuffy listed for you, is very good. Good luck...Red

[AQA]

I thank you both for your time and info.. I still need to finish reading the site that Tuffy led me to.

The reason I asked the question is because my educational courses my lead me to a company that has a nurse working there. They may have an issue with me taking my meds. and want to know what they are. I believe that my meds. and my medical condition is my business and not thiers.

Please don't get me wrong. I might be a red neck but I am a red neck with extreame pride and self respect. I have no problem telling them at the interview anything they want to know. I believe once hired for a job and doing the job successfully, that my medical condition and medicine use should have no bearing on anything.

With that being said, I am still at a lost. Maybe you'all can help me with this one. If a company has a nurse on staff, other than the obvious reason, why?? Who and how would the nurse answere to?? How would the question be answered "who needed this material"??

I hope you ladies don't mind the questions, I am sure you see what I am asking and why.

Take Care.

PS. even though my grammer looks proper to me know. I have already taken my meds. and it my look total messed up to me in the mornig.

Take Care

[sparkey]

I also worked in the medical field all my life. I was a candy striper, nurses aide, and then became a phlebotomist/specimen processor. I know that we had to give out the Hipaa law to every pt. that walked in for bloodwork when it first came out. Also, I do not know if you know this, but when you go to a pharmacy there is a certain area you have to stand behind so that you do not hear or are to close to the patient when they are talking to the pharmacist putting in, or receiving their meds.

It was enforced alot more than it is now when it first came out. When I go to my PM doctors once a month, there is poles that you need to be standing next to a certain distance behind the person in front of you. It is privacy.

I remember one day while working in the hospital when Hipaa first came out. There was a secretary that had a friend that was getting divorced. Well her friend that was getting divorced husband got admitted to the hospital on her ward. She called her friend to notify her that he was in such n such room and said what he was admitted for. This secretary worked for the hospital for at least 20 yrs. She was fired the same day that a family member called the administrator to let them know of the situation.

I was very shocked by this as like I said she worked many years doing that job. All it took was one phone call to get rid of her. I also know to this date my pharmacy still gives out this paperwork on the law of privacy. If you can, get your hands on one. When i worked in the lab, i knew someone that came in and had a herpe's test. She came back positive. I could not tell anyone, not even my husband whom I tell everything to.

[backache]

I know I will only tell the patient and their POA info. If anyone else asks I tell them they should contact the POA or patient. Now on the flip side of that I know many others openly talk about patients conditions I have had to tell others to be quiet or to watch what they say and who they say it to since they at times let things slip that they shouldn't. I would ask this nurse how private information is handled and who receives this info. I would than inform her that you do not want any info given out about you unless you know who will receive this info and what will be divulged. This questions and concerns should not upset her in the least. If she is a blabbermouth this will make her less likely to give info out about you because she will know you know your rights. There should be NO reason a candy striper knows any info about you with the exception of your name if you want your name given out. The CNA's should have very limited knowledge and only as far as care goes......