Honoring Our Veterans – November 11, 2026

Veterans Day is a time to pause and recognize the courage, dedication, and sacrifices of the men and women who have served in our nation’s Armed Forces. We are grateful for those who have answered the call to serve and for the sacrifices they and their families have made to protect our freedoms.

We would also like to take this opportunity to recognize and thank the staff members at Evergreen HealthCare who have served in the military, as well as those whose family members have served. Your connections to military service are an important part of our workplace community, and we honor the experiences, sacrifices, and contributions of you and your loved ones.

To all veterans, their families, and those who continue to support them, thank you for your service, your sacrifice, and your dedication. We are proud to recognize you this Veterans Day and every day.

HIPPA Warning - Think before you Click or Hover

As nurses, we are entrusted with some of the most personal and confidential information about our patients. Protecting that information is not only a professional responsibility but also a legal and ethical obligation.

Accessing a patient's electronic health record (EHR) without a legitimate work-related reason is considered curiosity browsing. This includes looking up the records of friends, family members, coworkers, acquaintances, public figures, or even patients whose situations simply spark your interest.

Curiosity Is Not a Reason to Access a Patient's Record. Think Before You Click. 

Another practice to avoid is "Hover to Discover." Even briefly hovering over a patient's name, chart, or other identifying information to reveal details that are not needed for your job can raise privacy concerns. If you do not have a legitimate business need to access the information, don't look. Don't hover. 

Electronic health record access is monitored, and inappropriate access will be identified through routine audits. Violations of patient privacy policies can result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. 

The Bottom Line: Only access patient information when it is necessary to perform your assigned job responsibilities. Being open for an admission does not mean you can look at the ED Track Board or other unit Track Boards. Once assigned a patient, then you have a business need to review the record. 

If your manager or unit leader approaches you because the Hospital audit flagged you for a possible HIPPA Violation, you may request a union representative for your investigation meeting, as it could lead to disciplinary action.  If your access is part of your normal authorized job duties, then you will have the opportunity to explain that. Unfortunately, we are finding that some nurses are being flagged for just doing their jobs. The facility is seeking better ways of vetting to prevent you from having to experience being investigated when you are only accessing for business reasons. 

Our patients trust us with their private information. Let's honor that trust by protecting their privacy. 

Questions/Concerns?
WSNA Nurse Representative Janet Stewart: [email protected]