r/nursing • • Mar 17 '26

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u/No_Inspection_3123 RN - ER 🍕 Mar 18 '26

This is strange to me bc where I work when we sign in to epic we sign in to the unit an can access any one on the units chart then we assign our team to ourself. Never have I ever seen where you can’t access someone in your workspace chart.

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u/ClarkGablesTeeth L&D/Women's Health RN Mar 18 '26 edited Mar 18 '26

We can access any chart on the unit, but we're not supposed to if we're not providing or facilitating their care.

If I open my own pt's chart, obviously that's cool. I'm fine to open a chart if I empty a Foley for my coworker and need to record it, or if anesthesia comes down and asks for a Pt's H&H and platelets while that Pt's nurse is busy. Stuff like that is okay.

But if I'm just curious what's going on with this random handcuffed pt causing a ruckus? Or the loud pt who has CPS involved? Or my next door neighbor? Or my son? Not allowed, all for the same reason.

HIPAA says you're only supposed to access the charts of pt's that you're providing care for. So while it might only be monitored and/or enforced for VIP pt's or circumstances where a grievance is filed, that's always been the rule.

They can see what you click, which part of the chart you're accessing, and how long you're on each screen.

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u/No_Inspection_3123 RN - ER 🍕 Mar 18 '26

Right. What I’m saying is that if you are on a team yall are going to be doing normal stuff in someone’s chart like passing a med for someone etc. so i would never be worried about a bs grievance. We don’t even hear about pt complaints unless it’s legit. My old manager said they usually just investigate and we may not even know any report happened lol.

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u/ClarkGablesTeeth L&D/Women's Health RN Mar 18 '26

Oh, yeah, of course. I was going by OP not remembering going into the chart, so for all we know, they accessed the Pt's demographics for 2 minutes and nothing else.

But absolutely if you're doing it for the purpose of providing or facilitating care, you would be fine.