Phone calls & families <sigh>

2 It never ceases to amaze me how "families" call the nurses station and either 1. demand info or 2. politely request info on a patient (and then get mad when I refuse them).

Honestly, you wouldn't call up say, a hotel and say tell me about Mr X staying there...you'd probably get a dial tone.

Case in point, last night a family member calls and automatically assumes that whoever is answering the phone (me) knows about every single patient in the hospital, and wants an "update on her father's status" (someone didn't take their common sense pills this morning!)

She proceeds to go on about her day, her struggles (hey I got a lady trying to jump out of bed, but do you care?), until I politely stop her, and say, "I cannot give you any information, however, you can call your father directly" You can guess the rest...(sigh)
I have a feeling you are gonna be preaching to the choir on this one. The only thing I haven't figured out is if the general public really is that totally unaware of HIPPA (even though it has been in place for quite some time) or they genuinely think that they are special and that we are going to make exceptions for them.

Quote from CNL2BI have a feeling you are gonna be preaching to the choir on this one. The only thing I haven't figured out is if the general public really is that totally unaware of HIPPA (even though it has been in place for quite some time) or they genuinely think that they are special and that we are going to make exceptions for them.

Quote from CNL2BI have a feeling you are gonna be preaching to the choir on this one. The only thing I haven't figured out is if the general public really is that totally unaware of HIPPA (even though it has been in place for quite some time) or they genuinely think that they are special and that we are going to make exceptions for them.

It's HIPAA...Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. If you always remember Accountability Act, you'll get it right.

Quote from HamsterRNThere have been numerous threads on this issue and in general it seems to be nurses that are totally unaware of HIPPA. HIPPA does not prohibit us from providing information to family and friends, it only places requirements on how that information is given. Use a PIN, password, or just pass the phone to the patient for a second to confirm that you can provide information to that person. Involving family and friends (with permission) in the overall care of a patient is an important part of nursing care. Too often, we seem to use HIPPA to excuse lazy, poor care.

heyguys.....it's hipaa! you are nurses, talking about it, so learn how to spell it. pleaseand yes, i'm a proud member of the grammar and spelling policeby the way, so you don't think that i am being holier than thou, in a long past post, i had a question regarding a hipaa violation. while i had spelled it correctly in my actual post, i spelled in wrong in the title! big and large, and when i noticed it, it was too late to change it. i was embarassed, but i learned from it.

Quote from lucky0220hey everyone...it's hipaa! you are nurses, talking about it, so learn how to spell it. pleaseand yes, i'm a proud member of the grammar and spelling policeby the way, so you don't think that i am being holier than thou, in a long past post, i had a question regarding a hipaa violation. while i had spelled it correctly in my actual post, i spelled in wrong in the title! big and large, and when i noticed it, it was too late to change it. i was embarassed, but i learned from it.

Quote from mappersIt's HIPAA...Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. If you always remember Accountability Act, you'll get it right.

Quote from cnl2bi could go ahead and correct it now, but it's too late. for me, it's one of those things where you type faster than you think. my fingers are more used to typing two pps in a row (happy, crappy, sappy, poppy, dippy, puppy) than two aas. what word has two as (besides aardvark, which i am not sure i've ever had need to use in a sentence over the last number of years....)anywhoo, it's not that i don't know, it's just that my fingers don't know.

Quote from lucky0220cnl2b.....based on all your other posts, many of which i have learned a lot from, i was surprised to see it from you. i really did figure you were typing fast!!!

Quote from nyteshadeIt never ceases to amaze me how "families" call the nurses station and either 1. demand info or 2. politely request info on a patient (and then get mad when I refuse them). Honestly, you wouldn't call up say, a hotel and say tell me about Mr X staying there...you'd probably get a dial tone.Case in point, last night a family member calls and automatically assumes that whoever is answering the phone (me) knows about every single patient in the hospital, and wants an "update on her father's status" (someone didn't take their common sense pills this morning!)She proceeds to go on about her day, her struggles (hey I got a lady trying to jump out of bed, but do you care?), until I politely stop her, and say, "I cannot give you any information, however, you can call your father directly" You can guess the rest...(sigh)

Everyone thinks they're a special snowflake. I've had people come in to the hospital that don't even know the patient's last name. Heck, some aren't even sure of the first name.As for it being "lazy" and "poor care" to "not involve the family." It's not just family calling. It's neighbors, it's third cousins twice removed, it's ex-spouses, people that went to church with Bob three years ago and don't know his last name but how many Bobs could there be in the hospital, can't I just look him up under "Bob" or maybe it's actually Bill, or is it Rob, I'm not sure but surely you know who I'm talking about, actually they may have been discharged, can you give me their home phone number????Now all of these people would have a giant fit if THEY were my patient and I even admitted they were in the hospital, but it should be perfectly ok for me to tell them what they want to know.