Professional Boundaries Post Request for an Ohio Nurse and her Colleagues

I received the following email from a nurse yesterday:

Can you tell me about professional boundaries regarding RNs and behavioral health clients?  I am seeking direction in 'timelines' of appropriateness in establishing social relationships with prior clients. 

For example, is it 'ok' to have lunch with a former client?  (i.e. not a sexual boundary issue)  If so, what is considerate appropriate time-wise? 

As my peers & I discussed this, the next question was 'what about dating' a former client?  How much time needs to lapse for this kind of relationship to not be considered a boundary violation?

We've had no success in finding any real answers on the OBN website.  Maybe you have a blog about this -- if so, would you direct me where to find it. 

Thank you -- your website/blog is great!  If you don't have any current blogs on this topic, maybe you could take into consideration for future blogs. 

I appreciate any information you can share -- & I'll gladly share with my peers.

Thanks for your consideration!

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Thank you Ohio nurse for contacting me and suggesting a post for my blog. I smiled when I read your email because I love it when nurses research the Nurse Practice Act and Board regulations then analyze and discuss how it applies to daily nursing practice. Now that's what I am talking about!!!

I actually have an article appearing in the next Kentucky Nurse, the newsletter of the Kentucky Nurses Association about professional boundaries and professional sexual misconduct.

I have published several peer reviewed articles on professional boundaries in nursing and professional boundaries and professional sexual misconduct is one of my favorite presentation topics. As a home care nurse, I have also encountered a number of boundary issues.  

I will link the KNA article to this blog post when its published in September 2008. Although I cannot provide you with legal advice and counseling and answers to your specific questions on this blog, I think you will find the article very informative.