The discussion we had to answer said:
How does the issue of patient confidentiality impact your professional practice as a nurse? Describe the nurse’s role in protecting patient health information and maintaining quality of patient care. Support your response with at least one cited source.
THIS IS WHAT I SAID FOR THE DISCUSSION IF YOU NEED TO USE IT:
As a nurse working in the medical-surgical unit, the issue of patient confidentiality holds significant importance and directly impacts my professional practice. According to Tariq and Hackert (2023), healthcare practitioners have an ethical duty to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of patient health information. Patient confidentiality is essential for safeguarding the ethical norms of nursing practice and preserving the trust between patients and healthcare professionals. One-way patient confidentiality impacts my professional practice is by influencing how I communicate and share patient information. I must be mindful of discussing patient details only in secure and private environments, such as in designated areas or through encrypted electronic communication systems. This ensures that sensitive patient information is not disclosed to unauthorized individuals, safeguarding patient privacy and maintaining confidentiality. For instance, when discussing a patient’s condition with other healthcare team members during rounds, I would ensure that the conversation takes place away from public areas to prevent accidental disclosure of patient information.
Moreover, protecting patient health information is an essential part of maintaining the quality of patient care. The nurse’s role in this process involves adhering to legal and ethical standards, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2022). HIPAA defines patients’ rights with relation to accessing and sharing their medical records and establishes requirements for the privacy and security of protected health information (PHI) (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2022). By following HIPAA regulations and similar guidelines in other countries, nurses contribute to maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of patient data. Finally, in addition to the legal aspects, nurses also play a vital role in educating patients about their rights regarding privacy and confidentiality. For example, I would inform patients about their right to review their medical records, request restrictions on certain disclosures, and provide written consent to release their information to third parties. By empowering patients with knowledge about their rights, I can enhance their trust and collaboration in their healthcare journey.
References
Tariq, R.A. & Hackert, P.B. (2023). Patient confidentiality. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519540/.
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2022). Summary of the HIPAA Security Rule. [online] HHS.gov. Available at: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/security/laws-regulations/index.html.
BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO ANSWER NOW IS:
In responding to your peers, identify at least three safety concerns of vulnerable individuals (e.g., children, pregnant woman, individuals in prison) with the implementation of information technology. Please include a source to support your response. Demonstrate more depth and thought than simply stating that “I agree” or “You are wrong.” Guidance is provided for you in each discussion prompt.
HERE IS WHAT THE PEER SAID:
The privacy provision of the health insurance portability and accountability act set forth by the United States Department of Health and Human Services took effect on April 14, 2003 (Office for Civil Rights, 2021). It mandated change in how health information was securely stored and exchanged. Nurses were heavily impacted because they now, in addition to an ethical duty to protect patient information, had a legal one too. Nurses interact with privileged health information regularly and frequently to provide the highest quality of care, so their role in protecting it is paramount. An individual’s private information can be sensitive, embarrassing, or jeopardizing if given to the wrong person. Patients need to know that the private information they share will be kept in confidence and only used for their care so that they do not withhold critical information for fear of misuse.
In my role as a post-anesthesia care nurse, the care I provide for patients is done so in a large open room. No conversation is private, and patients are in a compromised mental state. Because of this, we do not allow family members access to their loved ones while they are in the PACU. Another added challenge to confidentiality is that the waiting area where loved ones convene is also open and not private. Communication with family members is often carried over the phone, and care must be taken that only the approved point of contact is contacted. In my experience, with the modern problem of scam robot calls, most people are hesitant or leery to identify themselves on the phone before hearing what the phone call is about. I often have to call several times before someone will answer the phone. When discharge instructions are given, family members are led to a secure conference room. These are just some ways recovery nurses protect their patients’ health information.
An article by Eg and Jensen (2023) interviewed healthcare professionals about their perceived challenges in protecting the health information of pediatric patients. They discussed that open settings where curtains were the only barrier between patient areas, such as emergency departments, and a lack of private spaces to retreat to were significant reasons why staff failed to protect patient confidentiality. They also mentioned that language barriers, such as when family members act as medical interpreters, contributed. Other issues arise in adolescent patients when a parent is often present. Concerns about mobile phone usage were raised to conduct phone calls regarding patient information. Interviewees admitted to not always providing private assessments or respecting their right not to have a parent present during questioning.
This study highlights the importance of healthcare providers playing an active role in advocating for appropriate work settings to conduct patient care to respect patients’ right to privacy. An easy solution to avoiding the inappropriate use of family to translate for a patient is ensuring adequate resources for professional interpreter services that meet the patient’s needs, whether video, phone, or in-person interpreters. It is also essential to have conversations between healthcare providers and patients’ loved ones about the patient’s right to privacy. It is also wise that healthcare providers are mindful of where they conduct phone calls when discussing protected information. Ultimately it is the nurse’s responsibility and moral obligation to remove themselves from a work situation where they feel they cannot protect a patient’s confidentiality.
References
Eg, M., & Jensen, C. S. (2023). The challenges of maintaining patient confidentiality in pediatric settings. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 69, 18–23. https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1016/j.pedn.2022.12.022
Office for Civil Rights. (2021, June 28). Privacy Rule General Overview. HHS.gov. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance/general-overview/index.html#:~:text=By%20the%20compliance%20date%20of,of%20individually%20identifiable%20health%20information.
Required Resources to use for this assignment:
Textbook: Nursing Informatics and the Foundation of Knowledge, Chapters 5, 8, and 12
Website: http://web.archive.org/web/20150923134841/https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/HIPAA-Administrative-Simplification/HIPAAGenInfo/index.html?redirect=/hipaageninfo
This is the guiding legislation on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
You will find reviewing this document valuable as you complete the assignments in this module.
Additional Support (Optional):
PDF: http://housedocs.house.gov/energycommerce/ppacacon.pdf
This is a legislative document of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (i.e., Obamacare). The document is quite in depth at over 1,000 pages.
It is provided to you as optional reading because we will refer to sections of this document in this module and throughout the term.
Library Article: http://ezproxy.snhu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1013888182?accountid=3783
This journal article outlines some of the ethical considerations of protected health information (e.g., patient records) in the age of information technology.
This source may be useful as you complete the assignments in this module.
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