Thursday, June 11, 2009

Disappearing John is, well, disappearing....

It has been a bad week.

I almost got fired on Monday.

Long story made incredibly short, one of my children was in my hospital several months ago, and I looked at their medical record using my personal ID to do so. As is stated on every computer we sign in on, looking at anyone's medical record that we do not have legal reason to be involved with is against company policy, and doing so is a serious violation of company policy.

Somehow, in some "random" audit, it was noted that I accessed the files of someone with my same last name, and that caused someone to do some digging.

Basically, I was called before the legal department and HR and asked if I had ever accessed a family member's records. I was completely honest, said yes, and explained what I did.

I was shown the audit trail, told that if I had denied it, I would have been fired immediatly.

I was suspended without pay for 2 days, along with a long speech about how my computer access was going to be under incredible scrutiny for the next 12 months.

Nothing was said about my blog. I still don't know how many people at work know about it, but I cannot risk the fact that someone would report the blog, and someone would think I was, yet again, violating HIPPA or patient confidentiality.

I won't get in to the fact I feel I am being made an example of. I wasn't looking up a famous celebrity, I didn't share any protected health information. I did violate policy, and I am paying the consequences for it.

I have deleted all of the history of the blog. I cannot believe how painful it was to do that.

I have made some tremendous friends through blogging. I will amost certainly be back, with a new name and a far more annoymous blog. I will also keep my email address to keep in touch with those who do, and to let those who want to read the "new me" when I decide to begin anew...

I thank each and every one of you that have stopped by over the years to give me a read!

John

30 comments:

mojitogirl said...

Damn John!!!! Please reappear soon!!

Jo said...

Gawds - I am so sorry to hear that :-( Take care of yourself.

LaLine said...

I would love an email when you start up somewhere else.

KiwiCuz said...

Dear John,
I am sorry to hear that you have stopped blogging. Thank you for sharing your stories and life. Best wishes for the future.

devildocmom said...

JOHN
I am an ER nurse in Tucon who LOVES your blog...I see so many similarities in our work environments. Please let those of us who have written you rarely, but read you often know when/where you will be.
FYI years ago one of our nurses looked up his own records and was slapped on the hand...it is more serious now I know.

SADwanderings said...

John,
I am so sad that your blog has disappeared. I stumbled upon it a few weeks and read it all from the very first post up to your current post. Your blog was fascinating and I days and days glued to my computer. I'm truly going to miss it.
I wish you the best of luck in this world and I hope to stumble upon your new blog some day soon.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with us.

Epijunky said...

I'm so sorry... I'm sad to see you go, but I can't blame you.

I've enjoyed following your writing, wishing you and your family all the very best.

AlisonH said...

Wow. I'm so sorry. I can only hope your data was saved somewhere, but it sure doesn't sound like it. I know I keep my blog in part for my kids and future grandkids to be able to read. I have enjoyed yours for awhile now and hope for all the best for you and yours.

Medblog Addict said...

I'm so sorry to hear this. I'll be watching for your new blog. Take care.

Eric135 said...

Hi John,

The whole thing about looking up your own/family's medical records really doesn't have anything to do with HIPPA laws, it's the fact that The Place wants to make an example of you. I mean, what, so you're going to complain about you digging into your child's records? That's not what HIPPA is for. The Place just wants to say, "See how much we protect your records? We're willing to burn one of our own, even though he can easily give himself permission to view these records!"

Sometimes, places can get so messed up that they aren't able to see the forest for the trees. HIPPA is to protect you from folks that wish to view your records without your permission. Preventing you from viewing your own records, or of your minor children's records, is not within the spirit of the law, and The Place knows that. If you went looking into Madonna's records, or Britney Spear's, or mine, then yes, fire your ass. But your child's? Specifically if s/he's a minor? Come on...

But we're at a point where, unfortunately, the only choices left to make seem to be the bad ones.

The point is to just survive it. And you will, I am sure.

Eric

dean said...

Hi John,
I found your blog when you were student nurse and about to graduate from nursing schhol, I was just starting school then. I like you finished and moved on to a BSN program. You have been a constent source of stength through my journey to becoming an RN. you are an insperation to all us middle agers thinking about nursing. Thank You, hope to see you blogging again soon.

dr. whoo? said...

Scary! One of my worst fears. Please shoot me a line when/if you begin anew. I would miss lurking about your blog!

Marco said...

Aw, crap on peevish management...

I really enjoy your blog, John. I hope that you come back soon as one persona or another.

In the meantime, good luck with your health and your job.

Marco

Anonymous said...

I've been following your blog for a long time, so sad to see you go! .: tani :.

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry John. I understand, been there and done that. I have to lock down my blog with a password because of unwanted eyes. I am truely sorry. I hope your able to reapprear, maybe a different site, with a different name.

Let us know if you do.
yurtshugs@yahoo.com

Sarah.

Anonymous said...

Yet another lurker who will miss you.

I really enjoy reading about medicine from the insider's perspective---I find that it helps me understand the difference between annoying but normal and out-of-line when dealing with medical situations.

It's very sad that our political struggles with balancing privacy and information prevent individuals from making reasoned decisions about what's OK to share.

---Lisa

Anonymous said...

OMG!! I can't believe this!! I'm sooo sorry John.
I don't see how looking at your child's record could be grounds for discilinary action.

Makes me nervous...I went into the system to get a copy of my blood results/titers for a part-time job I applied to. I can't see how that's a bad thing. It's MY
information and I used MY ID.

Anyway, wish you all the best. I hope I can find you if you ever start up again....hang in there.

R said...

Wow, John, I'm so sorry. Its crazy the way management works these days. I would love an email when you start up again. I am an ER nurse too and have loved reading your blog. Please don't quit, you've been part of my daily reads for a long time.

Leslie said...

I'm really sorry to see this. Please email me if/when you start blogging again - I've read you for years although very rarely comment!

Scarter said...

:( I have been addicted to your blog forever! I will miss it so much...my best to you and your family.

randompawses said...

Man, that's f***ed up beyond words. I'm sorry you're having to deal with that bureaucratic crap. We'll miss you....

Nursesdose said...

Such a great blog site.

take a great care of your self. hope to hear from you soon.

nas said...

Hi great blog im a medical student from the uk, would love more posts to keep me entertained

Anonymous said...

It's HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; not HIPPA!

geena said...

I can't believe I never left a comment on this post!

I'm very sorry to see you go although I understand why you are. Please let me know if you start blogging elsewhere! codeblogrn --at---- gmail

Good luck to you :)

UnsinkableMB said...

John,

Sorry to hear about your trouble. That's one of the many reasons why I started an anonymous blog after nursing school. Let me know when you're back online. :)

Take care,

"Unsinkable Molly Brown"
unsinkablemb at gmail.com

Anonymous said...

John

this too shall pass.

I came to your blog for the first time today.

I worked in an ER many years ago then went to psych and I am now retired.

When I worked in the ER back and the day we were so crazy and had so much fun and were always in trouble about something.

We had a code of silence and we worked together and played together.

WE Live WE Learn my friend.The only real mistakes in Life are the one's from which we learn nothing.

I feel they would have a hard time proving this is your blog. So come back and share your thoughts and feelings.

and remember "life is not about waiting for the storm to pass it's about learning to dance in the rain"

Don't let the powers that be get you down.Let it go as tomorrow something else will happen to someone else and it will all be forgotten.

RNSpeak! said...

I am just catching up my favorite blogs and read your post. Please know that all that you have written and the passion from which you have spoken will remain etched in me as a blogger. Whether the content is visible or not - we know. Take good care of yourself and come back soon please.

Anonymous said...

In a land far far away I found your website and loved every blog! I have learned so much, your knowledge and wit are incomparable. You are such an inspiration to me "John". You have an amazing online family that cares. This is now Nov 2009. Where are you?

Brother Frankie said...

its cached on google and a few others. i got caught blogging about a congregation by the cache...

everything we do online is snapshotted by a bunch of places, mainly google. there are search engines that specialize in just that.

it is not good for a preacher to blog.. my wife is a nurse, she wont do it.. so we have stopped blogging about stuff.. under our name.. and never about real stuff. we make it all up. yup all of it. even have a disclaimer...

(yeah right)

good luck