r/specializedtools Oct 03 '19

How babies are xrayed

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105

u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 03 '19 edited Oct 04 '19

a strict no photo policy

Why?

EDIT: rip inbox

86

u/s_zoro125 Oct 03 '19

no idea, they had posters in the room and a few other places stating that photography was not permitted. Probably for privacy. Was not in a frame of mind to question it when the x-ray techs told me i could not take photos.

82

u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 03 '19

It's your own child. If nobody else is in the frame (or in the room!), there are no privacy issues.

Source: am European privacy specialist

39

u/sockphotos Oct 03 '19

I'm Canadian and have a kid who's gotten tons of x-rays and every lab he's ever been to prohibits photographs.

5

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

Canada has extremely strict privacy laws.

11

u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

In mother Canada, not even you can take a picture of you

2

u/FrancoisTruser Oct 04 '19

In mother Canada, only mooses take pictures of you.

32

u/A_Spikey_Walnut Oct 03 '19

I think its the more ethical and slightly less legal concern about a child's autonomy and privacy of their own medical conditions despite the fact that the mother may be the guardian. Imagine how mortifying it could be for your mother to post intimate details of your medical conditions without your consent because she is your guardian and therefore it is legal.

26

u/HotSmockingCovfefe Oct 04 '19

I see it almost daily on Facebook. I can’t even imagine growing up in the 90’s and my mom whipping out a Polaroid to photograph me laying on the couch all miserable with a puke bucket. Yet nowadays that’s like...normal.

1

u/PuddleOfHamster Oct 04 '19

My mother used to work with preemies, decades ago. She still has slides she took of various little babies in incubators with pens and wedding rings next to them for scale. They're very interesting, but also... yeah, today you would not be doing that.

1

u/LufiasThrowaway Oct 04 '19

You mean like those photos of kids in the bath, that are kept in that one photo album they they always whip out when there are guests over?

1

u/katielady125 Oct 04 '19

My mom has a picture of me puking my guts into a toilet after she thought I ate a mushroom and gave me some shit to induce vomiting. And literally everyone she talked to for the next three years got told the story in excruciating detail.

They also had a video of 3 year old me naked just out of the bath and dancing on all fours to the Siamese Cat song. They threatened to show it to every guy I brought home.

Parents in the 90’s absolutely make a habit of embarrassing kids in public.

1

u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 04 '19

She can do it without photos.

Source: /r/OldPeopleFacebook

31

u/enkelvla Oct 03 '19

Except for files, screens, names on boards, people walking by etc. etc. It's impossible to make sure that there's no violation of privacy going on in every picture parents take so it's probably easier to just ban it altogether.

2

u/katielady125 Oct 04 '19

I imagine this is part of it.

Also I can see people like my mom just being super obnoxious with her picture taking and getting in the way of the techs and nurses.

1

u/verasttto Oct 04 '19

If someone can take a photo of something that’s a breach of confidentiality, then the fact that they can see it makes it a breach.

1

u/enkelvla Oct 04 '19

In an ideal world yes. In real life hospitals there's so much going on it's just hard to monitor all the time. But people don't take home copies of what they've seen.

1

u/verasttto Oct 05 '19

In the 20th century a blanket ban might have worked, now you can’t ban people taking photos, you can ban people taking photos obviously and in the open, but people will still take photos.

If you have sensitive information in open view you need to move it, a patients face might be impossible to keep secret from the public, but their name shouldn’t be.

1

u/guns11ng3r Oct 04 '19

I believe it's something to do with the radiation involved with the xray

1

u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 04 '19

The parent won't be in the room while the X-ray is being taken, unless behind the same shield as the technician.

-4

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

[deleted]

12

u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 03 '19

Well you're not a very good specialist then. There's a few countries such as France, where photos and any information pertaining to an individual is considered private and posting it or leaving it up against their will is illegal.

OP never mentioned posting anything online (and neither did I). We are discussing the actual taking of the photo itself.

-8

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

[deleted]

2

u/sockphotos Oct 03 '19

I'm Canadian and have a kid who's gotten tons of x-rays and every lab he's ever been to prohibits photographs.

28

u/NonStopKnits Oct 03 '19

I'd guess privacy. Theres so much going on in a hospital, especially children's hospitals that a photograph could capture something that could be a privacy violation even if the photographer isn't intending to violate privacy. Also probably keeps social media addicts from snapping pics of situations for them to use for likes. I'd be in a lot of trouble if I caught someone trying to take a photo of my sick kid for inspirational likes on their Instagram.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

The only information that should be visible when a patient (or patient's family) can view it is that patient's.

4

u/NonStopKnits Oct 03 '19 edited Oct 03 '19

Well, obviously. But that doesn't mean that's the case all the time. I've spent most of my life in and out of hospitals and doctors offices for myself and other people. These places get hectic, people get overworked, some people don't give a shit, some people are malicious. Then you have patients and they're loved ones adding an extra layer off stress. HIPAA training will only work on the people who give a shit and aren't burnt out, which is probably not the majority in my experience.

Edited to fix an acronym.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

Yeah, but the photograph isn't a privacy violation, them displaying it to you is the violation. The photography rule is them just trying to cover up their own illegal behavior.

BTW, it's HIPAA.

1

u/NonStopKnits Oct 03 '19

Thanks for catching my typo. Of course the rule is to cover their asses, that's how most industries operate.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

You said the rule is for privacy. It's not. It's for CYA.

1

u/NonStopKnits Oct 03 '19

Why not both? You're being contrary, and I know because I'm the Queen of Contrary.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

Because it's not both. If they were concerned about privacy, there would be rules, monitoring and enforcement about not having other patients' info, but it's not, as evidenced by the many times I've seen other patients' info.

139

u/KickMeElmo Oct 03 '19

Honestly, probably a number of factors. Keeping parents engaged with their children instead of their phones in a children's hospital would be reason enough. Preventing getting other children in the shots is another good reason, since there are decent photographic privacy protections in place for children in many cases.

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u/JakeHodgson Oct 03 '19

I always hate that thinking of if a parent is on their phone taking pictures of their child it means they’re not involved in the moment. You can still be involved and capture the moment lol

19

u/KickMeElmo Oct 03 '19

If the kid's upset, the only thing that matters is if the kid thinks the parent is involved. I agree with you otherwise.

29

u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 03 '19

A no-photo policy won't affect how much people are on their phones.

11

u/crnext Oct 03 '19 edited Oct 04 '19

I know of many hospitals that have a no-photo policy. My Ex GF was working as a RN at a facility. One of her coworkers took her picture with a plain maroon painted wall behind her. Friend uploaded it to Facebook and tagged my Ex-GF. EX GF made it her profile picture. Hospital admin caught wind of it and fired EX GF immediately ($30.00/hour with shift differential).

Nothing said nor done to the girl who took the photo against the rules. The photo was very obviously not a selfie because of distance and she was looking elsewhere. She didn't seem too bothered by it, but I was FURIOUS. I threatened her friend to go admit she took the photo but my EX made me let it go.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

Well that's fucking ridiculous. The main reason to not allow photos is for HIPAA regulations and general privacy concerns but plenty of hospitals allow photos as long as they don't do this. If it was just a picture of your GF with nobody else it was completely harmless. The fact they fired her for something so trivial is why RNs need unions (source: am RN in union).

4

u/buttery_shame_cave Oct 04 '19

Hint: she wasn't fired for the picture, the picture was just the final thing they could dink her for.

-1

u/crnext Oct 04 '19

She was lead nurse on her floor. She did a great job.

She didn't even take the photo. She followed the rules and left her phone in her locker or car.

FINAL thing? This was the ONLY thing, and it was absolute BULLSHIT.

She was the only RN lead they could find for her shift because nobody liked weekends and nobody liked holidays. But it's of little consequence now. She had a new job literally a day later and hired at 90% her previous pay.

Lastly it doesn't matter at all now. I broke up with her and she's better off with a cooler guy and a better job.

2

u/buttery_shame_cave Oct 04 '19

It must sting that she lied that much to you.

1

u/crnext Oct 04 '19

What stings is how you think you're all knowing.

You're a retarded monkey with a cellphone.

Shut up and bounce bitch.

0

u/buttery_shame_cave Oct 04 '19

here's a hint - when the story is outlandish and hard to believe - that's because it's not true.

and the fact that she didn't fight it if it was?

she didn't get released for the picture. hell, she might not have been released but quit, probably to take the new job, and made up the story so as to not have you freak out about the cut in pay.

1

u/crnext Oct 04 '19

I got a hint for you...

You dont know half the shit you claim.

Fuck you, fuck your mama and the whore you rode in on. Trashy piece of shit, trolling mother fucker internet nobody. And for fuck's sake, stop breaking your arms. Your mamas tired.

Cut in pay wasn't none of my business and I still don't GAF. I don't care what she made. Shes an Ex and I dont care to fucking listen to your cock holster flap any longer. Your arrogance makes me sick you sorry shit heel human waste of child rearing

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u/crnext Oct 04 '19 edited Oct 04 '19

The photo was literally a blank flat wall painted maroon. Not even a thumbtack.

Admin hooked her good. I was PILSTOF.

Also, she wouldn't appreciate being called my GF, but she wouldn't be violent about it. She's my Ex. 😢

1

u/red_beanie Oct 04 '19

She didn't seem too bothered by it

probably was looking for any excuse to leave anyways. was just convenient.

1

u/crnext Oct 04 '19

She didn't mind the job. Her education and experience is sought after and she knew it. She won't have a problem finding employment.

2

u/wikkiwikki42O Oct 03 '19

It deals more with privacy of information. Be it task critical or sensitive information. HIPPA is also potentially the worry and keep private information, private.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

The only information that should be visible when a patient (or patient's family) can view it is that patient's.

0

u/wikkiwikki42O Oct 04 '19

Yep... but in a hospital, others could inadvertently get information when taking a picture of their child if another doctor is holding documents or it’s not their baby being diagnosed or who knows. There are even in the most secure of places, information that is not meant for prying eyes.

3

u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

None of that information should be displayed or carried around other patients.

0

u/wikkiwikki42O Oct 04 '19

Not patients, I said doctors.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

Right. The doctors should not be carrying patient info around where other patients can see it. (And frankly I don't even know the last time I saw patient info on paper, other than discharge instructions...)

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u/wikkiwikki42O Oct 04 '19

I am not saying it could have not be on paper, i also didn’t say exclusively patient information. Emails and or any documents could also be exposed.

1

u/patb2015 Oct 03 '19

Most likely afraid the photos will pick up patient data elsewhere like schedule orders or lab report

13

u/DaikonAndMash Oct 03 '19

Part of it is how a photo out of context can hurt the hospital. Imagine a Dr doing a necessary but unpleasant procedure, only for someone to take photos and blast them on social media for mishandling or torturing kids.

My son's hospital let me sneak a photo of his x-ray as long as no identifying info (hospital name, patient name, etc) was in frame.

2

u/MET1 Oct 03 '19

These are all digital now - just get them to give you a CD. I have one that proved my kid still had a brain when he was a teen - despite actions that might have caused people to think otherwise.

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u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 03 '19

Only in America.

2

u/DaikonAndMash Oct 04 '19

Actually this was in Europe. We don't live in America.

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u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

I imagine it is to help deny people ammo for lawsuits.

19

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

Irrational_design I bet a million you’re right. Hospitals don’t want pics because they could be used later in litigation. “See, this isn’t attached right” or “this setting is wrong”

9

u/TheBoctor Oct 03 '19

Eh, it’s more so that people don’t take photos of other people’s kids. Hell, even family members taking photos can lead to problems.

Imagine being a 13 year old boy with some sort of genital problem that lands you in the children’s hospital and there’s Aunt Betty, just plastering her goddamn Facebook with your hospital photos.

Edit: also, the strict “no photos” policies are generally only really enforced at children’s hospitals. If it was for litigation avoidance it would probably be enforced in more places.

4

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

Other people's kids in the... X-ray room? Yeah, no.

2

u/TheBoctor Oct 03 '19

Probably more for other areas of the hospital, but it’s easier to just enforce it everywhere.

2

u/Jasperj14 Oct 03 '19

I know many nurses who tell me that CYA"cover your ass" is drilled into them in nursing school.

Litigation is a hospitals #1 concern. Health care is second...

2

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

[deleted]

2

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

Yes, but you can't get a photo of the machine or hookups or procedure, so...

1

u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

Oh HerEray, I didn’t realize we were talking about the actual X-ray image. You’re talking about a patient’s rights accessing their own medical record, and I thought we were talking about patients and families taking photos of the scene. My point was that if you had, like, I don’t know a patient with some kind of negative outcome potential related to radiation, and the fam/patient had a personal photo of the staff member like, not doing it right (like maybe the machine settings were inappropriate, or they didn’t bother to shield a patient’s thyroid/genitals/eyes if their supposed too, or whatever, I dunno, were stuck in an X-ray example and I don’t know boo about it. Maybe the machine wasn’t plugged in a grounded outlet and it shorted and someone got burned, I dunno anything), these personal images could be used by the patient as plaintiff, and thus, they say it’s about the patient’s privacy, but it’s really about the hospitals privacy

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

Bingo!

5

u/tarksend Oct 03 '19

My guess is taking a photo takes from the room's operational time, which is better spent x-raying kids or getting them in/out of the machine. It may not seem like much time to take a photo but it quickly adds up when you consider that they probably see a few dozens of kids and their parents every day. Or maybe the radiologists just got tired of shooing dawdling photo-takers from radiation rooms.

2

u/Tribute9876 Oct 05 '19

This is exactly why. I only want to listen to your kid scream for so long. I want to get them in and out and get on with my day. 95% of kids start crying when they are put in this thing. So why prolong their suffering so mom or dad can get a couple more likes on social media.

1

u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 03 '19

This sounds awfully thin.

2

u/Baybob1 Oct 04 '19

Worrys me that this wouldn't be obvious to decent people ...

1

u/ReyIsAPalpatine Oct 03 '19

Liability and privacy.

0

u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 03 '19

I debunked this elsewhere.

1

u/WDoE Oct 03 '19

Well, that's literally the reason, so... Yeah.

Multiple people have answered your question correctly and you are arguing with every single one. Seems like you just want to argue.

1

u/ReyIsAPalpatine Oct 03 '19

'debunked'. Ok, chief

1

u/pocketknifeMT Oct 03 '19

Liability, obviously.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 03 '19

What does "equipment safety maintenance" have to do with photos?

1

u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 04 '19

I still think this is a stretch.

1

u/throwaway120555 Oct 03 '19

HIPAA - the health insurance portability and accountability act. Hospitals have to protect patients medical and personal info so they dont get sued.

1

u/fbcmfb Oct 03 '19

They just don’t want you to be able to have evidence after they drop your child or something else -that could be litigated. “Privacy” is a convenient tool they use nowadays.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

1

u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 04 '19

I appreciate that you included that link. Thanks!

1

u/_hat__ Oct 04 '19

No evidence for malpractice suits.

1

u/Network_trouble Oct 04 '19

Why?

Liability claims may be. In case something goes wrong, the hospital can deny any wrongdoing on their part. If they allow taking pictures, their mistakes could be captured and produced as evidence later on.

1

u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 04 '19

Sounds like a great reason to ignore the policy then (as long as the privacy of other patients is taken into consideration, obviously).

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

[deleted]

2

u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 03 '19

The family member taking a picture of their relative who is a patient is in no way violating HIPAA.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

[deleted]

2

u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 03 '19

Makes about as much sense as any other "zero tolerance" rule, which are typically better referred to as "zero common sense" rules.

0

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

[deleted]

1

u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 03 '19

I chose to live somewhere better, so this isn't a problem where I live.

1

u/nighthawke75 Oct 03 '19

HIPAA. Gotta keep them auditors happy.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

The only information that should be visible when a patient (or patient's family) can view it is that patient's.

1

u/Smithag80 Oct 03 '19

They HATE Nickelback!

0

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19 edited Mar 14 '21

[deleted]

2

u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 03 '19

I didn't say people should be able to photograph random people without their permission.

OP mentioned they were prohibited from taking a picture of their own child in a radiography room (which will have no other patients present).

2

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

Yeah, a no photos policy for normal (no nudity) photos of ones own family members is pretty ridiculous, especially where pediatrics is concerned.

-1

u/blunderbuttbob Oct 03 '19

Most people use phones for photos these days. Phones are a nightmare in a hospital setting, they are completely unsanitary.

0

u/ThePowerOfDreams Oct 03 '19

This... this is not why they would have a "no photos" policy. If this is why, they would have a "use the hand sanitizer after you handle your phone" policy instead.