Smile, You’re On Candid Camera

If you’re old enough, you might recall that TV series back in the ‘60s hosted by Allen Funt where people were filmed in contrived situations and didn’t even know it.  It was kind of precursor to similar shows today like “Cheaters” in which people don’t know they’re being recorded.

Did you know that in certain states, permission is not needed for someone to record a conversation with you?  Only one person needs to know.

However, in the recent past, I have had some nurses who were unknowingly filmed, and those recordings came back to haunt them.  You’re a nurse 24/7 so no matter what you say or do, it could be used against you if some issue were to arise.

In one matter, a nurse unknowingly was being videotaped for a criminal interview at which she did not have an attorney to defend her interests.  As can be expected, some police have a way of putting words in your mouth, which is what happened in this matter.  Those words came back to haunt her.

I also had a case where nurses were videotaped assisting a patient who had fallen in the medical facility’s hallway or where nurses did not timely answer a call light.

The best way to deal with such situations is to act at all times as if someone is watching you.  What would you not want people to see?

Did you know that in London, the average person is on camera 300 times a day?  Think about that.  Whenever you walk into a store, you’re being videotaped.  You can be driving down the street and videotaped.  There are cameras everywhere.  This is the wave of the future.

So, be aware, act as if someone is watching you at all times and conduct yourself accordingly.

I hope this helps and I would like to hear your thoughts on this topic.  Do you feel this is an invasion of privacy?  Do you feel this will improve patient care?  Or our conduct in the community?  Please let us hear your comments below.