Do you think this is an invasion of privacy?

Question

I was not feeling very well at work. I spoke to the scheduler and told her as soon as the shift was over I'd be heading to the ER and I would not be able to come in tomorrow. I work 16 hours Sat and Sun. I am also 31 weeks pregnant. The on call nurse that would have to cover my shift, asked me to call him and let him know if I could work. after i called him and said no, he said ok. three hours later he called the ER and told them he was my husband and he needed to talk to me NOW, because it was an emergency. I was given medication that made me woozy, so the nurse walked with me to the phone. I discovered it was the on call nurse from work. He told me I had to come work for the 2nd half of my shift. I hadn't even been released from the ER yet. I did go to work because I didn't want to lose my job and he is in a position of authority over mine. I was still intoxicated from my medication in the ER. I should not have been taking care of patients. Do I have any personal or privacy rights?

Answer 1

The person who lied should be held responsible for his actions...at minimum, he should be written up, at maximum, fired. He was not your husband, and he knew that the hospital would not let him talk to you unless he was a relative, so that is why he lied. You MUST take action against this liar. You were in NO position to go to work, and he forced you to do something which could have harmed you , your baby, or a patient, or all of the above. In fact, you should jump the ladder, and go all the way to the top position, probably the administrator, and let he or she know EXACTLY what happened. He had NO right to do this, as he usurped his authority AGAINST you. If you do not nip this problem in the bud, so to speak, this liar will know that he can pull a stunt like this against you any time. The law is on your side, and it sounds like you have a lawsuit on your hands...against him and the hospital. PLEASE, I IMPLORE you...DO NOT let him get away with this!!!

Answer 2

Okay, as to privacy rights, I don't believe your privacy was invaded. Afterall, anything you disclosed about being in the ER was your choice and nobody at your employment forced you. So no, but your place or work should take a look at their work ethics. Maybe a call to the better labor bureau would be of help for them to shape up and treat workers with respect. As to that other co-worker calling the hospital and pretending to be your husband and stating an emergency is totally disgusting! Please, talk to the other nurse's boss. He has to have a superior, right!???? So talk to the bigger boss and rat him out. Tell them how he is a dirty slimeball and that you believe he proved that he is an unethical worker. If they support themselves in providing ethical employees to serve the public they will do something about this and there will be a consequence for the other nurse to pay. If they don't do anything, call the better business bureau or get a lawyer. A lawyer could prove that you were caused undue stress and suffering, you were drugged and forced to the phone. Not quite forced because you went under your own will, but mislead because of the fact that the coworker was fraudulently representing himself as your husband and falsification of an emergency situation. So, not only were you caused undue pain and suffering but, we also have a case of fraud and falsfication to put on the list. Now, if you have money to blow on a lawyer than sue someone's butts off. Really though, don't be another person who sues everyone every chance they get. We have too many of these. Leave it too telling the boss or the union if you are under one about this slimeball. As for you going in? Why did you do that!??? Do you know that if you injured someone while working, that legal action could have been taken against you because you were working under the influence or a drug? Did you ask the shift supervisor to decide if you were in the position to perform work without causing harm to yourself or others? If you were approved to work and something happened, you yourself could have sued! What you should have done though was not to go into work, you knew you weren't in the condition to work but you went anyways. Yes, I understand you want your job, but there are other jobs out there. So, if this is just one example of how things are going to be in the future than I would suggest that you start looking elsewhere for future employment. If you want to keep working there and be respected so you aren't misused by coworkers than you should file a complaint and things should be dealt with to better the work environment for the present time being and the future.

Answer 3

Ask your H.R. department about their HIPAA policy, why your rights were violated under this by the supervisor calling the ER to reach you, and the violation of your right to protection for your known health condition by ordering you back to work when you were under a doctors care? Check your union contract (if you are union) and check with your local steward to file a grivance against the boss as well.

That is terrible for him to do that to you under any circumstances, whether you work at the hospital or not. It doesn't give him rights to go around the rules.

If all else fails, visit your local office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and file a claim. Free to file.

Answer 4

Yes, you have both, and you also have two very good lawsuits on your hands, one for the clown who pretended to be your husband, and one for the clown who gave him any info about you.. As a health care professional, I am sure that you and the person assisting you, as well as the clown who called are aware of the health privacy act, (not sure of the complete name,) and so, you can do something serious to everyone concerned.
Not only that, what would have happened if you had made an error in judgement and killed someone while they were in your charge because you let that criminal abuse your rights?
Do something and do it now. Oh, and it's also harrassment, since that person used his authority over you to intimidate you.

Answer 5

Absolutely...you have rights. What A jerk... You need to contact a lawyer.