0:34. They say that nursing is a calling, and my mother was called to the field. Get the latest on all things nursing by joining our email newsletter. She has rules for how nurses can keep out of trouble while using social media but also using social media effectively and positively. Top Cheap and Fast Online RN to BSN Programs, Affordable Online Nurse Practitioner Programs, Top Direct-Entry Nurse Practitioner Programs, Top Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Programs, Top Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Programs, Top Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Programs, Top Online Family Nurse Practitioner Programs, Top RN to Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Programs, Top Womens Health Nurse Practitioner Programs, How to Get an Associate Degree in Nursing. This was such a teachable moment, She could have used her brand that she has built to help other nurses avoid making the same mistake. Delivered via email so please ensure you enter your email address correctly. However, although the HIPAA violations might not be recognized as such within the nursing unit, a nurse can still be held responsible for a violation albeit an unintentional violation that results from an unofficial working practice. To be clear, this article is not intended to attack Katie in any way. It came when emergency room nurse Katie Duke was fired for posting a photo to Instagram. I appreciate that you are looking at the facts of the situation, as you understand them, and addressing them without making the conversation a personal attack. Katie Duke, a nurse propelled to fame by popular reality show NY Med, was fired for social media. They can include patient errors, HIPAA violations, causing undue risk for an employer, and social media mistakes. She took her loss and won! By consuming any of our content, you agree that you will hold us harmless for actions you made as the result of the data. She has rules for how nurses can keep out of trouble while using social media but also using social media effectively and positively. The lines are way too blurry to point fingers. TikTok got me fired: Why was a nurse suspended over her TikToks? Delivered via email so please ensure you enter your email address correctly. As we were all told to applaud the nurses who were risking their health to support the sick during the pandemic, monsters in select hospitals nationwide thought it appropriate to choreograph dance routines for likes and shares. I can think of at least two potential HIPAA violations: The fact that this drama all plays out on a reality show where patients and healthcare professionals are filmed does muddy the waters a bit. Regulatory Changes You need someone in your corner telling you what your managers really need from you, helping you learn to interact with your preceptor, and really just manage your life. A HIPAA violation is a felony if it involves the knowing and wrongful acquisition or disclosure of individually identifiable health information under false pretenses or for personal gain, commercial advantage, or malicious intent. She did something insensitive and potentially damaging to a patient and her hospital. Top 6 Reasons Nurses Get Fired 1. Four days after the nurse was suspended the decision was taken to fire her for the HIPAA violation. She has launched social media training programs, nurse travel and excursion, her very own scrub line, and a wildly popular podcast. Employers may decide to provide additional training in some cases to ensure the requirements of HIPAA are fully understood. But this poor kid was bad off and as a parent, I could see vaccinating out of fear, as reported by the Houston Chronicle, which obtained screenshots of her Facebook posts. The HIPAA Privacy Rule places restrictions on the allowable uses and disclosures of protected health information. If you want to play you need to play with some children. Heres how to stay out of hot water when sharing about your career on your favorite social platform. This article contains personal opinions and assumptions based on the facts available to me as of the original publication date. It is illegal and fineable for nurses and other healthcare professionals to purposely or accidentally release information about patients. Foul-mouthed note to selfish panic buyers goes viral as Delta Covid variant shuts down Australia once again, Millions of Brits lined up for Covid booster jabs from September to stop winter case spike, Britain and EU strike last gasp Sausage War ceasefire to head off threat of trade tariffs, Abused Jasmine Hartin freed from Belize jail as lawyer claims shes been thrown to wolves' by Lord Ashcrofts family, Joe Biden 'hosted Hunter's Mexican associates in VP's office and flew son to meeting on Air Force 2', Almost HALF of Americans are having trouble finding clothes that fit after the pandemic, poll says, Sophie Toscan du Plantier prime suspect Ian Bailey claims bombshell DNA will clear his name in 25-year murder mystery, Brit boy, 13, who claims ISIS trained him to kill aged EIGHT begs to return to UK to play Xbox & eat McDonalds. Hospital officials cited patient privacy as a top priority while saying the blatant breach would be investigated. Posting any protected health information on social media websites, even in closed Facebook groups, is a serious HIPAA violation. Was the HIPAA violation attributable to a lack of knowledge, or was it a malicious act? In the former scenario, the penalty will likely be a warning and refresher training; while, in the latter scenario, this is an act of gross misconduct likely resolved by termination of contract. Thank you for a more balanced discussion of the situation. My ick is when you ask me how much the baby weighs and its still in your hands, a second nurse says. Cancel Any Time. Yet, the consequences of a violation of patient privacy or insensitivity to an employer or co-workers are very real and even detrimental to offending nurses both financially and for their licensure. You can read more about accidental HIPAA violations here. One only needs to search the words social media and nurse, to read the numerous stories where nurses have been let go for writing or posting comments and photos about patients or hospitals. Your email address will not be published. possible. Sign up to receive the latest nursing news and exclusive offers. Perhaps the discussion should not be about why she is a villain or a hero and should focus instead on how the behavior of nurses can have repercussions that reach beyond the expected and that professionalism is not just a quality to be valued only when at work. Its not some dramatic social media driven statement to evoke anything. If reporting the event to a Privacy Officer, the event will be dealt with internally. Its really just sad," the person wrote. All links on this site may be affiliate links and should be considered as such. HIPAA Journal provides the most comprehensive coverage of HIPAA news anywhere online, in addition to independent advice about HIPAA compliance and the best practices to adopt to avoid data breaches, HIPAA violations and regulatory fines. Even famous nurses make mistakes on social media. There is no private cause of action in HIPAA. I think that if the photo was the only thing posted, without her personal commentary about a real-life tragic event (that she made light of), I think it would have been perceived as harmless and shed still have her job today. Copyright 2014-2023 HIPAA Journal. Where new information has been made available, I have provided updates and clarification. equally, but do you know which nurses are making the most money in 2023? Duke posted the photo with the caption #Man vs 6 train., Join Today's Emergency Medicine Tweet Chat Today at 1 PM, ET, Chicago Doctor Accused of Posting Photos of Intoxicated Patient on Social Media, Push to Get Experimental Drugs With Social Media Pressure on the Rise. Were all human and in her case she was in a stressful environment, plus had TV cameras. But beyond penalties themselves, remember that you are a representative of your profession. Due to a high rate of vaccination (94.5%) in Houston, a measles case is very rare. I speak professionally on the topic of social media for nurses and often get asked about specific examples of nurses making mistakes on social media. See our disclaimer for more information. Minyvonne Burkeis a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. This story has been shared 542,106 times. Officials at the Jackson Memorial Hospital in. In New Jersey, Jersey Shore University Medical Center fired nurse Adam Witt on March 31 and barred him from entering the hospital campus after he and others posted in a private Facebook group about their fears of contracting COVID-19. Brittney is the author of, Interviews and Press, Awards and Mentions. The nurse, Kelly Morris, said the social media videos in question were just jokes. In today's society, social media is at everyone's fingertips via a smartphone or iPad. Never Disclose Your Personal Information. It would be unfathomable for my mother to record herself feigning emotion after watching someone die, as it would put her nursing ethics into question. I saw a lot of nurses / RTs posting because the media released the name she wasnt bound by HIPAA. My response to that is that last time I looked, the media was in a different business. man vs 6 train. Duke posted the photo with the caption "#Man vs 6 train." Join Today's Emergency Medicine Tweet Chat Today at 1 PM, ET This article is written not to attack Katie, but instead, share a very public example of how nurses can easily be fired for inappropriate social media use. In addition to civil fines, nurses can also find themselves in trouble in relation to licensure problems. My night was going great them boom! one post by Samuels read, showing a photo of the newborn taken inside the hospitals newborn intensive care unit. Further information on the penalties for HIPAA violations are detailed here. Lack of Professionalism Final Thoughts Related Article Your Privacy Respected Please see HIPAA Journal privacy policy. ", Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Shes in a great position to become a public speaker and teacher of what not to do with SM Im curious to see where she takes it. At nurse.org, we believe that no one knows nurses better than, well, nurses. Steve is responsible for editorial policy regarding the topics covered on HIPAA Journal. She is able to get back up when she is kicked down and I have no doubt that she will deal with it and come out better for it in the end. The photo captured a messy but empty trauma room that had been used to treat a man hit by a New York City subway train. If any personally identifiable protected health information is posted on social media without consent first being obtained from the patient, it constitutes a violation of the HIPAA Privacy Rule. At this point, however, I should probably say was a star, since a recent episode revealed that Katie was fired after posting this photo of a trauma room to her popular Instagram account (thekatieduke). "I am being bullied and harassed online and these people are mad that Im not going out quietly so they are hitting harder.