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Nurses/Privacy Rights

saminohio1977saminohio1977
in 3rd Trimester

I work in an office where there are little boundaries. This makes me as a very private person, uncomfortable-its gotten worse since Ive been pregnant.

I'm also a boss so I work really hard to keep everything professional and have managed to reveal very little about the pregnancy or the state of my cervix even tho I get questions every single day (we have about 75% females).

I found out that one of my employees sister is a Labor and Delivery Nurse at the small hospital I am deliverying at. She works 12 hour shifts 3 days a week then is off for 4 days. So the chances of me seeing her are somewhat slim (right?). Anyways-I'm wondering what she can reveal to her sister about my delivery if she happens to be there? Or can she reveal anything? I just do not want to come back to work from maternity leave to find out everyone knows how I screamed or pooped on the table. Thanks!

 

 

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Re: Nurses/Privacy Rights

  • biblionerdbiblionerd member
    Chances of you having her are slim. Because of HIPAA laws she cannot say a word about you even being there. When I worked in a hospital, if anyone even found out that she uttered your NAME in regards to being there when outside of the hospital she would be fired.
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  • Lissa832Lissa832 member
    She doesn't have the right to even confirm or deny that you are in that hospital, let alone give out any details. If she does, she is violating HIPAA. My mom is a director at a hospital, and she has had to terminate employees for violating patient privacy. Big no no.
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  • akatingakating member
    Under the laws of HIPPA she can't even tell anyone that she had you as a patient much less anything to do with your care. If she does she can be reported for violating HIPPA and can lose her license. If you are that concerned I would suggest that if you see her you tell her you don't want her talking to anyone about your care. It is important that you stand your ground with this also because if you don't report it there will be no proof and she won't get into trouble.
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  • RunningGal900RunningGal900 member

    imagebiblionerd:
    Chances of you having her are slim. Because of HIPAA laws she cannot say a word about you even being there. When I worked in a hospital, if anyone even found out that she uttered your NAME in regards to being there when outside of the hospital she would be fired.

    This. I was worried about having my ILs best friend's daughter as my L&D nurse since we don't plan on calling the ILs until after the baby is born, and I discovered that because of HIPPA she can't say a word. 

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  • BocciuloBocciulo
    Your best bet is to tell them when you go in to deliver is that you do not want her as your nurse because you are her sisters boss. Just because Hippa is around does not mean people follow it.  So to protect yourself just tell them she is not to be in the room. You also need to realize that while nurses are working they talk about patients and if she is working she may hear stuff about you. Under the law she shouldn't talk but she may anyway.
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  • CtHawaiiCtHawaii
    It's true that b/c of HIPPA any person that works in a hospital is required to keep the info of all patients confidential.  The reality is that everyone is human and we can all use some reminders from time to time.  So, I would say if you are that worried just give that person a gentle reminder.  Example "I know you are friends/family with X, but DH and I are really want to want to be able to tell the story of LO's birth, so please help us to keep the surprise."  Or something along those lines.  As a nurse I would not be offended if someone said this to me, as long as it was kept light hearted and not said in a way that made it sound like you assumed I was a blabber mouth.  
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  • IU_babyIU_baby member
    Saying anything about you would be a HIPAA violation on the nurse's part.
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  • saminohio1977saminohio1977
    Thanks everyone. I have my bags packed with a couple boxes of girl scout cookies to try to charm whatever nurse I get (I can be pretty difficult on an every day basis).
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  • katekirschnerkatekirschner member
    Due to HIPPA rights she isn't allowed to talk about any of her patients when not on her unit with that patient's care team. That being said, if she is a blabber mouth she might tell her sister, but legally she isn't allowed. 
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  • jojobean1977jojobean1977

    imageBocciulo:
    Your best bet is to tell them when you go in to deliver is that you do not want her as your nurse because you are her sisters boss. Just because Hippa is around does not mean people follow it.  So to protect yourself just tell them she is not to be in the room. You also need to realize that while nurses are working they talk about patients and if she is working she may hear stuff about you. Under the law she shouldn't talk but she may anyway.

    This, I am a RN and have had to deal with other RNs talking about my children when they were in the NICU. I reported them but nothing really happened and it is very hard to prove. This time, I am delivering at a different hospital and I have it on my birh plan that I do not want anyone that I know personally or professionally to take care of me or my children.

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  • laurakaz13laurakaz13 member
    I am an Administrator a hospital, and I can tell you that we take HIPAA very seriously. I agree w/the others. Request not to have this particular nurse, and mention you want your rights under HIPAA protected. If there is any breach, I would report it to the patient advocate.
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  • musicamhmusicamh

    imagelaurakaz13:
    I am an Administrator a hospital, and I can tell you that we take HIPAA very seriously. I agree w/the others. Request not to have this particular nurse, and mention you want your rights under HIPAA protected. If there is any breach, I would report it to the patient advocate.

    This.  Personally, if I found out coworkers or community members knew details of my birth that weren't told by folks within the family that hospital would be hearing from my lawyer and by the time she was done my daughter's maternity leave would be paid for. 

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  • cherokeemomma87cherokeemomma87 member
    I would request not to have her, explain to the head nurse your situation.  Even with HIPPA around it doesnt mean that people will listen to it, and in order for her to get in trouble you have to file a complaint, so that can put you in a bad situation. 
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  • alexsgirls20alexsgirls20

    Yeah what they said. In addition, her being a nurse, seeing this stuff everyday, I highly doubt she would even want to mention any of the details as they probably dont matter to her, but you won't have to worry about it going that far.

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  • Ferris1013Ferris1013 member
    Yup totally illegal to say anything at all, I think she can't even say that you were there technically.
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