I work at the local hospital in a clerical capacity. There are many rules and regulations concerning patient confidentiality - as there should be. We take great care never to leave documents lying around that have names, addresses and medical histories on them. Computers are locked and never left with patients details displayed when the user moves away from the screen. We can loose our jobs if we misuse the information or don't look after it properly. We have to take a course in Data Protection and Patient Identifiable Information.
The other 'hot' topic at the moment is hand hygiene. what with MRSA and all it's nasty chums visiting the hospital more often these days, we know how important it is to wash out hands carefully and prevent cross infection. Use the gel dispensers that are on every clinical area to stop us spreading infection and germs.
I don't know how many of these rules I broke today but I know it was lots.
I printed out patients' medical reports for my boss to take and discuss with his medical colleagues at a hospital meeting. I put them in a pile ready for him to collect. I left the office, locked my PC, closed the door (keycode entry - noone can walk in and read the papers) and walked down the corridor to the loo. When one of the clinical staff said to me - "What's that on your arm?" I looked down and there on the underside of my forearm was printed (back to front) a patients medical record. Where I had printed it out - I had leant on it before the ink was dry.
Aaargh.
I quickly found an old tissue in my pocket, licked it and rubbed off the sensitive details (what mum hasn't done this to a mucky child in the playground?) I thought the nurse was going to faint at my lack of hygene! (I did wash properly in the sink in the loo!)
I may be looking for a non-hospital related job in the near future!
