That's never appropriate. She's doing exactly what HIPAA was designed to prevent.

Sounds like your unit needs to think about redesigning your unit so the charts are not so accessible to the patients. In the facility I currently work in, the charts are kept in a cabinet which can be locked. Fortunately, we don't currently have any residents who wander behind the nurses's station, but if we did, we could simply lock the cabinet and prevent this from happening (even though it would be a real PIA).

HIPAA
Thanks ginger, the setting is a nursing home. When I take someone out of the nurses station, I'm the meany, no one sees anything wrong with it. And of course the station is small, and the favorite time to come in there is at change of shift, you know what that's like. All I'm contending is that there should be gates at the stations.

Question on HIPPA Violations
It is definitely a HIPPA violation. Yes, there should be "gates" at the openings of the nurse's stations. Talk to the DON or if need be, legal and the facility administrator. Be the "meany" but cover your hiney.