I really screwed up big time.

[stacwase]

Boy did I butt into the wrong business this time.

I am an ICU nurse. This kid came into the ICU in a coma from a drug overdose. He was on a ventilator (ie life support) and didn't look like he was going to make it.

He was 18 years old - a really wierd kid. He had piercings all over and he had carved things into his skin and poured pepper in to make the scars bigger, etc. etc.

Miraculously, he recovered. When he was able to talk, I found out that he was homeless. He had come up here with the carnival after running away from home. He'd had a very bad home life.

He had bad drug and alcohol problems, no money, no place to go. He was very immature, definitely not an adult even though he was 18.

So - being the busy body I am, I asked him if I could refer him to this place I know that takes in kids who have such problems and are too old for foster care. It's a Christian camp for young men with drug and alcohol problems, and trouble with the police.

He was very happy and so I called them and recommended him to them.

After he was discharged I found out he is a felon on parole! He has molested small children.

I feel absolutely awful for helping this kid! Now he's going to be out at this Bible camp and what is going to happen to them if he molests kids or something? It will put the Bible camp in a bad light, and it's not even their fault!

Hopefully no children will ever be at the camp!

I called them and told him to please check out his criminal record, but because of privacy laws I couldn't tell them any more.

Why didn't I just keep my nose out of his life? Why am I such a sucker?

[Edwina's Secretary]

Can you anonymously let the police know that a paroled child molester is living at the church camp?

At least you didn't bring him to your home to live!

[Cataholic]

I really don't think you screwed up, BUT, I do think you have a professional obligation. IF he is a paroled sex offender, than, that is a matter of public record. There isn't any confidentiality requirements to be concerned with.

I don't know of any privacy laws that would prohibit your call with specific details about his past. After all, that is the 'problem', not his medical care/treatment, which would be privileged. IMO.

[lizbud]

Originally posted by stacwase


After he was discharged I found out he is a felon on parole! He has molested small children.

I feel absolutely awful for helping this kid! Now he's going to be out at this Bible camp and what is going to happen to them if he molests kids or something? It will put the Bible camp in a bad light, and it's not even their fault!

Hopefully no children will ever be at the camp!

I called them and told him to please check out his criminal record, but because of privacy laws I couldn't tell them any more.

Well you just told over 6000 people, so much for privacy, huh.
LOL. Really, no joke, I do think you owe it to the camp to tell
them everything you know & let them take it from there. I believe
they have a need to know this.

[ramanth]

Originally posted by Cataholic
I really don't think you screwed up, BUT, I do think you have a professional obligation. IF he is a paroled sex offender, than, that is a matter of public record. There isn't any confidentiality requirements to be concerned with.

I don't know of any privacy laws that would prohibit your call with specific details about his past. After all, that is the 'problem', not his medical care/treatment, which would be privileged. IMO.

Agreed. Don't feel bad about not knowing. How could you have at the time? You were just trying to help someone. What if you checked to see if they had a criminal record, it came up somewhat clean, and he had already left before you could let him know about the camp?

I think I know what camp you are talking about. Andy's parents get honey (something given back for donating to the camp) from a 'Boys Troubled Youth Camp' somewhere in MI.

Could be the same one. I mean, if they are used to dealing with troubled youths, I'm sure they've had to deal with similar cases.

[catland]

I don't know the legal implications, but you have a moral obligation to inform the camp. Please take Cataholic's advice and inform them. They need to know.

[gini]

I wouldn't be quite so hard on yourself. Your initial intention sounds very pure to me.

When you found out about his background - you DID call them. I am sure they will look into it immediately, if they are a responsible group of people.

What you see as screwing up may take a whole other turn. Probably this kid has never been in a situation like this. It might be difficult for him to toe the line at first - but obviously they must have counselors that are professionally able to deal with his case.

Let us all just pray that this young man may have gotten the first good direction in his life -

AND IT WILL BE YOUR FAULT!

[stacwase]

I called them and said "I can't tell you any more than this but, please, please check his criminal record!" Then I said "I'm very sorry for sending him to you. I didn't know what he had done."

The guy said "Don't worry about it. That's what we're here for."

So I don't know if I got my point across or not. I would hope so.

As for telling 6000 people - there are so enough 18-year-olds in hospitals up here that I don't think anybody could figure out who it was from the information given. So I don't think I broke any HIPAA laws. I just needed to talk to somebody about it so badly!

I tried to talk to the nurses I work with about it, but they already hated him even though they hadn't heard what he had done. The piercings were just too evil for them, I guess.

I have been looking everywhere for information and can't find any telling if kids that young can still be rehabilitated. I mean - he is so immature and he's never had any guidance. There's no doubt he was molested as a child. Something terrible must have happened to him because he carves all over himself.

He was so surprised and grateful that I had done something for him. He said that he knew it was a miracle he had survived (it truly was) and that he had already been sitting down in the chapel, praying that God would tell him why he let him live. He had no problem at all with the fact that it was a bible camp.

Jeez I'm a sucker. Here I know what he is and I'm still hoping.

Do you think he could be rehabilitated?

[gini]

Someone once said to me "anything is possible with God" - and if he was already in the chapel praying.........that certainly is a good sign.

I for one, will pray for him, all of these young people in such terrible trouble - it makes me so sad.

It sounds as though you were the only person that helped him.
Please, stop beating yourself up!

[catland]

YOu've done well. Yours is probably the first act of kindness that he's experienced in a very long time. Now that the counselors know your concern, I'm sure they'll give him what ever help is possible. I do not know enough about these issues to know if he has a chance or not.

Chances are that they run criminal background checks as a standard procedure so that they know what kind of help he needs.

[Tonya]

Don't feel bad, Stacwase. You had good intentions. And who knows, perhaps what you did will turn this kid's life around. I have a friend who often helps homeless people...what she always says is it is her obligation to help people. But what they do with her help is between them and God.

[KYS]

I don't think you screwed up.
I think you care, and have a big heart.
What more can you do, you contacted the
camp twice to warn them.
Now I would think the ball is in their court?

[mugsy]

Maybe this is the catalyst that he needs to turn his life around. Just because he's a paroled felon doesn't mean that he will immediately go out and do the same thing again. Perhaps he and God reconciled and your help will make his journey complete.

[joycenalex]

i don't feel that you violated HIPPA. as health care providers, we have a duty to safeguard the privacy of our patients. you have a higher duty to safeguard the physical and emotional health of kids. it would be immoral to not suggest to the camp that there was an issue this serious, and they need to check him out carefully before he's around vulnerable kids. i give you kudos for your compassion in reaching out to this young man, maybe he can be salvaged before anyone else is so hurt by his actions...(((hugs)))

[Fuzzy317]

Originally posted by stacwase
Why didn't I just keep my nose out of his life? Why am I such a sucker?

I believe we should help each other, until we find out otherwise. I think you did the "right" thing with the situation as you knew it. Don't fault yourself for doing the "right" thing. Your kind act may be the spark that starts his life on a path to becoming better.