A male nurse in Bakersfield, California is believed to have crossed the line with regard to patient confidentiality when he allegedly texted and called a female patient after she underwent reconstructive surgery. He allegedly obtained her cell phone number from her patient file.
“The next thing I remember is waking up Monday morning and reading through a series of text messages and call logs,” Darcy White told local ABC News affiliate KERO 23. The nurse had reportedly called and texted White at least 10 times. Several of the texts included a reference to her appearance, by calling her “pretty,” and referring to her clothing size. The nurse had sent her a picture of himself as well.
KERO’s Bakersfield affiliate was able to reach the nurse, who said he was unable to provide an interview because he was out of town, but he admitted that he had retrieved White’s personal phone number from her hospital file. He also admitted he may have taken it too far when he contacted her.
“It’s a violation. It clearly is,” White said. The anesthesiologist nurse is employed through a contractor and does not work for Mercy Hospital. The hospital issued the following response to KERO:
Patient privacy and safety are top priorities for Dignity Health Mercy Hospitals. We are aware of the allegations and there is currently an ongoing investigation. Because the nurse is not an employee of Mercy Hospitals, we are prohibited from making any further comments in this personnel matter.
Follow Adelle Nazarian on Twitter @AdelleNaz
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