Selecting a Digitial Voice Recorder

[AnthonyM83]

I am interested in purchasing a digital voice recorder to carry in my shirt pocket for general liability purposes. I am an EMT and we often have belligerent patients (usually drunks) making threats. It would be nice to have that audio in case it leads to a self-defense situation that goes to court. It might also be good to activate when transporting under 18 females.

Are there recommendations for types of devices to buy that have worked well for you?

Also, I was told by police officers that recording laws usually require at least one person in the conversation to be aware of the recording (which would be me). I would like to confirm with California officers that this law applies to our state.


Thank you,
Anthony

[ChesCopPodz]

Whatever it is, make sure you can connect it to your PC and download the files.

[acreature]

I have a Sony ICD-CX50 and love it. Excellent playback quality.

Takes pictures too, that you can put voice-overs with!

Some VERY Liberal states require ALL Parties Consent. Best check first. Also, you should check your Emergency Medical Services Policy.

[Chef_Au]

The laws will vary as to whether you to use the recording as evidence or simply an *** covering tool. I mainly use mine to cover my backside for complaints. He said/he said can be hard to prove (we don't have in car camera with recording yet) so the tape is great to play to the boss when he gets an IA file.

www.linelink.com.au, the first panasonic one is one that I use with a microphone that I clip on my shirt pocket and is protected from the wind by the pocket flap.

[Hockey9019]

Might want to check with your work. Where I work we are not permitted to carry any recording device at ANY time. I know you have good intentions, buttttttttt theres that thing called HIPPA that could and probably would hold you up. HIPPA is more of a pain then any help. Even without malicious intent, a recording device could be considered a violation.

The few different Ambulance companies that run around here, have a policy against it. For the HIPPA reason.


Good luck though



EDIT If you are using it for a defense, for that time you would have to use self-defense; then your not writing a good enough report. I assume you have to write a report up for every PT. Don't get me wrong, I would LOVE to carry a recording device. But the way HIPPA is, and how people are; it's not worth it.

Lets say I'm a 15 year old female on your rig. I punch you in the face. You hit me back accidentally touching my breast when I scream. Your intentions are not malicious. But I find out you have a recording device, even at court, and say you take the recording home and get put it on your computer for your own pleasure.

I know the chances of this actually happening, but it DOES happen. Especially with mental patients. So why risk it?

I'm not against it, trust me. I just don't want to see you get hung up to dry if something was to go down. Best option is to talk to your company.

[Cat_Doc]

Even without malicious intent, a recording device could be considered a violation.

Is simply having a recording device a violation of HIPPA...or is releasing information to an unauthorized party the actual violation?

I like the idea of CYA recording when dealing with potential threats to your financial safety and freedom. The recorder has saved an awful lot of public servants when complaints come in.

[Hockey9019]

Is simply having a recording device a violation of HIPPA...or is releasing information to an unauthorized party the actual violation?

I like the idea of CYA recording when dealing with potential threats to your financial safety and freedom. The recorder has saved an awful lot of public servants when complaints come in.

I think your right on the latter. Some companies (the one I work for) prohibit any recording device (without written permission). I think the reason is it will CTA if someone does record someone and releases it. Then they can turn around and say "Hey we have a policy against that, bye bye" Instead of "Well you let him/her have a recording device, and he/she recorded me and gave it out to my friends" Then the company/hospital gets sued.

Of course the company gets sued either way. Like I said, I'm just playing devils advocate. ;)

Too bad the world has to be the way it is....

[Cat_Doc]

I think your right on the latter. Some companies (the one I work for) prohibit any recording device (without written permission). I think the reason is it will CTA if someone does record someone and releases it. Then they can turn around and say "Hey we have a policy against that, bye bye" Instead of "Well you let him/her have a recording device, and he/she recorded me and gave it out to my friends" Then the company/hospital gets sued.

Actually, you did answer my question and not poking a stick, but I was right on the former, also.

The policy you refer to is an internal company policy against unauthorized recorders being operated while you are representing your employer. Correct?

It is not a specific prohibitive act under HIPPA. Releasing information to an unauthorized party would be the actual HIPPA violation.

Speaking of ***, with an add-on of "pain in the" has anyone ever tried to read the complete HIPPA regulations? Sumofabitch! :eek:

[Hockey9019]

Actually, you did answer my question and not poking a stick, but I was right on the former, also.

The policy you refer to is an internal company policy against unauthorized recorders being operated while you are representing your employer. Correct?

It is not a specific prohibitive act under HIPPA. Releasing information to an unauthorized party would be the actual HIPPA violation.

Speaking of ***, with an add-on of "pain in the" has anyone ever tried to read the complete HIPPA regulations? Sumofabitch! :eek:

Yup! My mistake on that one ;) My response was meant to be more of a "Companies may prohibit it to prevent a possible HIPAA violation committed by the employee"

I think thats right. It keeps coming out wrong haha

And we're supposed to review HIPAA and read it when we have free time. Yep I see that happening anytime soon

Someone had a LOT of time on their hands when they wrote that :D

It hinders more then helps IMO.

[Cat_Doc]

Yup! My mistake on that one ;) My response was meant to be more of a "Companies may prohibit it to prevent a possible HIPAA violation committed by the employee"

I think thats right. It keeps coming out wrong haha

And we're supposed to review HIPAA and read it when we have free time. Yep I see that happening anytime soon

Someone had a LOT of time on their hands when they wrote that :D

It hinders more then helps IMO.

I got a friggen headache reading that damn thing to prove a point to a new Nursing Administrator that got hired on at the county jail when I needed some medical records on an inmate that got seriously injured in our custody.

The administrator came from the private sector and was not going to provide me with the records claiming it was a HIPPA violation. I had to prove to the dingbat this did not apply to someone who was in our custody and care. That was a fairly intense battle! I knew I was right, but had to do the legwork to prove it.

[Hockey9019]

I got a friggen headache reading that damn thing to prove a point to a new Nursing Administrator that got hired on at the county jail when I needed some medical records on an inmate that got seriously injured in our custody.

The administrator came from the private sector and was not going to provide me with the records claiming it was a HIPPA violation. I had to prove to the dingbat this did not apply to someone who was in our custody and care. That was a fairly intense battle! I knew I was right, but had to do the legwork to prove it.

Haha. But she is an RN! Don't you know ANYTHING?!?!?! :p


Back to the original question though, CHECK with your company for their policy on that

[Cat_Doc]

Haha. But she is an RN! Don't you know ANYTHING?!?!?! :p

LMAO, ain't that the truth! She still did want to believe me until one of the other senior medical staff corroborated. Good thing she did not see all the eye rolling I was doing, that would resulted in a complaint for sure.

(Sorry for the short hijack. Over and out. )

[Joeyd6]

Forget legality. Lets talk what is good. I just recently went to tech school for bugs/wires, etc.... I handled and used Sony, Panasonic and Olympus stuff.

For $100, you can get it all. The best thing we used was the Olympus WSM-310. On the best setting, you get 17 hours. It records in STEREO! Yes, it has 2 stereo mics! Also has a earphone jack and external mic jack if you want. It is very small, like a pack of bubba-licious bubble gum. And the best two features:

1) NO SOFTWARE NEEDED! It reocrds in Windows wav so you can download it or play it with any Windows computer without ANY software! Plug and play!

2) No cords to download! The bottom of the recorder slides off and it is a USB port, just like a thumb drive. You can plug it inot any USB port direct, with no cords!

I rarely say a specific brand or model to my friends. But wow! No comparison to anything else!

[BJJVad]

The laws will vary as to whether you to use the recording as evidence or simply an *** covering tool. I mainly use mine to cover my backside for complaints. He said/he said can be hard to prove (we don't have in car camera with recording yet) so the tape is great to play to the boss when he gets an IA file.

Great for covering yourself for a complaint, or allegation. As actual evidence it would be a tricky situation because for California law, there needs to be a reasonable expectation of privacy, like Patient Privacy Act. Assuming this is in a enclosed ambulance and everyone in the vehicle falls under Patient Privacy Act there would be a reasonable expectation of privacy. Now on a stretcher or gurny with other people around that is a different situation, no reasonable expectation.

Can you tape them? yes. Will it stand up in court? Depends on reasonable expectation of privacy. As for you carrying it would be hard to prove your surroundings at the time of the recording, to determine wheather or not the tape is admissible in court. A 3rd party that does not fall under Patient Privacy Act being close enough to tape the incident is a different story. That person is the proof that they were close enough to hear the conversation and therefor, no expectation of privacy.

Consult your companies policies on wheather you can carry one or not. No sense in getting written up or fired.

[TXCharlie]

I have a Sony pocket DVR... I forget the model (it's in my car) but it's a couple of years old, so they've probably upgraded models since then anyway. Go to Sony.com.

The sound quality is pretty good in HQ mode, but if you want it to record constantly all day on two AAA batteries, it's best to use the LP mode (mid-quality). The low-quality mode records 16 hours, but can sound like a bad cell phone connection at times.

I recommend buying at least 4 rechargeable AAA batteries and a charger so you can swap them out every day, otherwise disposable batteries will get expensive - It eats a set per day.

It has a USB computer interface, but unfortunately it produces a propriety format that only can be played back on a PC using their software - I think the newer DVR's produce MP3 files, which is better (that way they can be played on literally any type of computer or iPod, and MP3's don't get too large). Seems like a WAV file of a 8-12 hour shift would be huge, but a 8-12 hour MP3 file is manageable.

I don't know anything about the HIPPA rules & legality in your state on that, but I bet if your department were ever sued, you'd be served with a subpoena that compelled you to disclose any evidence you are in possession of, which could open up a can of worms, you think? I think it's better to have evidence in self defense, which is why I sometimes carry one when I'm in public (what's the harm?) but I'm not so sure I'm right.