You’re correct in your response that putting increased patient loads on floor nurses is not any kind of safe solution. But the same is true for keeping stable patients in a small understaffed ER where a single critical patient will tie up the entire staff for an hour and no other patient care happens.

Your HIPAA comment concerns me. HIPAA is so often misunderstood by care providers and others with patient care contact. It is never meant to stop us from doing our jobs. We are to take reasonable and consistent steps to protect patient privacy but incidental release of information when all other precautions are taken is protected. Patients in shared rooms overhear their roommates instructions and care information all of the time.

In a situation where there is not a private area available for patient assessment and interview, such as times when overcrowding necessitates hallway beds, incidental release of information may happen. Take appropriate steps such as speaking in the lowest tone possible, avoiding shouted instructions down the hallway, set up a privacy zone when patients first arrive on the floor to conduct initial assessments and then move them to their final location.

Thanks for your comments and for checking out the show. Keep in touch and keep us straight.