Mother-In-Law Threatens Redditor's Career As A Nurse If She Tells Anyone Her Secret

If you've ever been to the doctor, you would know that those who are decent value doctor-patient confidentiality greatly. The privacy of your records should include only your doctors and you unless you choose to disclose it to someone else.

There's a more specific term for that: the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This legislation is beneficial to health organizations, health workers, and, most especially, the patients.

HIPAA gives patients great control over sensitive medical records. Not only can they choose who can share them, but they can also take action if there are mistakes in them.

Although this rule is in place to aid patients, there are instances when it is abused. There was a subreddit post under r/AITA that involved a nurse who was being harassed by her mother-in-law, who told her that she would report her for violating HIPAA if she revealed the mother-in-law's secret.

The original poster (OP) and the mother-in-law (MIL) haven't been on the best terms; they don't really get along at all. One time, they encountered each other in the hospital where OP was working as a nurse.

It was Valentine's Day, and the MIL was with her date, whom OP's husband hated. The moment the MIL saw OP, she immediately asked for a different nurse, going on about how incompetent OP was.

The MIL then taunted her through text, stating that she couldn't say anything to her husband, or else she would file a case against her for violating HIPAA. In turn, OP threatened that she wouldn't let her see their kids if they ever had some in the future.

You can read the story to decide if OP really is TA

[deleted]

OP's an ER nurse, and when she saw her MIL in the hospital on Valentine's Day, she was already going to suggest switching with another nurse, but the MIL's demand beat her to it

[deleted]

The secret that the MIL didn't want OP's husband to find out was that the date was someone with whom their family doesn't have a good history

[deleted]

The MIL made sure to remind OP that there would be consequences if she broke HIPAA, and she would use that to her advantage to torture OP

[deleted]

OP got fed up with the MIL's treatment of her, and they exchanged mean words against each other

[deleted]

Since she kept taunting OP, she decided to dangle the amount of time the MIL could see her future grandkids

[deleted]

To which the MIL didn't care whatsoever and even called her a trash person

[deleted]

OP has provided more explanation of why she thinks she might be in the wrong

Judgement_Bot_AIT

There were numerous comments from Redditors suggesting something that would protect her legally if things blew up

webtin-Mizkir-8quzme

Someone in the same field agreed with this

slaterbabe10

OP can turn things around and have the MIL face consequences instead

SmallestMonster

The specific details are in the works

Jed08

But it doesn't negate the fact that OP should start thinking about how to legally protect herself

Jed08

A Redditor clarified her point so it is better understood

Specialist_Candie_77

People are trying to ask around if there can be a loophole or an exemption to the law

Fuck_You_Alls

Then the topic of OP's conversation with her MIL being accidentally seen by her husband might be considered something that is not illegal

No_Patients

There are also many ways that it could happen

Raise-The-Gates

End of comment

Raise-The-Gates

A Redditor involved in both fields shared their two cents

Awesomocity0

That gray area might be OP's saving grace

TheZMage

The situation is complex, no matter how simple the story sounds

m2cwf

One thing is for sure, though: OP has every right to decide who she exposes her future kids to

m2cwf

The OP of this comment is sending virtual comfort to medical professionals

m2cwf

And OP clearly has rights she could fight for too

SlasherVII

If there's a rule to protect a lot of people, it's best not to abuse it. HIPAA is one of them, and OP wasn't even threatening the MIL with anything before she was mentally played with the possibility of facing charges.

The people in the comments were kind enough to provide OP with a possible way out of the situation. What do you think should happen to the MIL?