Code Of Ethics: Maintaining Privacy And Identificiality In Nursing

Confidentiality is a concept of vast importance for professionals in the medical field. It is a professional obligation in this field and is considered to be an ethical concept that falls in line with integrity, compassion, veracity, charity, and fidelity as explained in both the International Council of Nurses Code for Nurses (1973) and the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics (1985). However, in today’s ever growing world of technology and demand for information, challenges continue to arise that force doctors and nurses to reexamine virtues such as confidentiality.

The ANMC (2010, pp.6) state on the topic of confidentiality, that nurses must insure the information obtained in a professional setting remain private and that information received is not used by nurses to give them an advantage or power in any way. Education in the matter is one solution to guarantee the boundaries and to keep a professional position. These breaches can be classified as boundary crossings, boundary violations or sexual misconduct and can lead to violations of a nurse’s professional responsibility causing consequences to occur.

Patient confidentiality is a fundamental practice in healthcare and it is integral part of healthcare ethical standards (Purtilo & Dougherty, 2010). According to the American Nurses Association (ANA) code of ethics “the nurse has a duty to maintain confidentiality of all patient information” (Nursing world, p.6). Also, when a patient confidentiality is violated the nurse may risk their safety and welfare. There are a few exceptions to this obligation such as: an increase need to protect the patient and other parties or mandatory laws that protect public health (Nursing world,

Confidentiality is one of the main duties of health care providers. They are required to keep a patient’s health information private unless patient consent to release of the information (De Bord et al, 2013). Dilemmas in patient’s confidentiality may arise when there is disagreement between the principle of confidentiality and other ethical principles such as avoiding harm to the patient or others.

Besides, the gadgets allow an easy accessibility of information such as latest guidelines. However, the practice may be disruptive and therefore hinders the performance of the nurses. Besides, the privacy of the patients may be compromised and therefore promoting unethical performance. One of the ethical principles guiding the practice is upholding privacy and confidentiality of the patients.  The relationship between the nurse and the patients may be compromised if the patients learn later how the nurse breached the confidentiality principles (Norman et al.

Disclosing patient information to a third party, without a patient’s consent or a court order is considered a breach of confidentiality. Legal liability for a breach of confidentiality covers a broader spectrum than ethical guidelines, which lend to doing what is morally right. Confidentiality in nursing comes with an ethical need for creating rapport with patients. Trust established facilitates increased communication and comfort for discussing personal information. There are some exceptions in terms of patient confidentiality; they are ethically and legally justified as a result of social considerations that are overriding. For example, exceptions are made upon

There is no doubt about the importance of ethics in our life as well as in our clinical area as nurses to protect ourselves, our patients, and their families. There are nine provisions in code of ethics. What I am interested to examine is provision number 3” the nurse promotes, advocates for, and protects the rights, health, and safety of the patient”. This provision consists of 6 statements, which are protection of “the rights of privacy and confidentiality, protection of human participants in research, performance standards and review mechanisms, professional responsibility in promoting a culture of safety, protection of patient’s health and safety by acting on questionable practice, and patient protection and impaired practice”

Baillie and Black (2015. p27) stated that in practice, confidentiality is a legal obligation derived from statute law and case law and it will also usually be included in the contract of employment as a nurse, with a specific link to disciplinary procedures if breached. Although it is important that a nurse makes sure that the information they share is legitimate, this is not absolute as there are a number of exceptions. The Data Protection Act(1998) states that a nurse must inform the patient of the circumstances under which their information will be shared and that this is necessary in order for the best treatment to be given. According to the NMC(2010), all nurses must respect individual rights to confidentiality and keep information secure and confidential in accordance with the law and relevant ethical and regulatory frameworks, taking account of local protocols. They must also actively share personal data with others when interest of safety and protection override the need for confidentiality.

Nurse are subject to various ethical and legal responsibilities in their professional role, such as to maintain patient’s privacy and confidentiality. Beginning in1893, nurses are taking the Nightingale Pledge to use all their power to maintain and elevate the standard of nursing profession and hold confidentiality in all personal matters committed to their keeping and all family affairs coming to their knowledge in the practice. That duty still continues today to protect the patient’s confidentiality. In 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was first enacted by Congress to improve continuity of health insurance coverage, combat health care waste and fraud, and simplify the administration of health insurance.

Nursing confidentiality cannot be breached. A patient’s trust is sacred and breaching that information is a violation of the trust between the relationship of the nurse and the patient (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008). The implications of breach of confidentiality are a lack of trust between the patient and the healthcare provider and the patient may not disclose vital information regarding their condition thereby may not receive adequate care (Nathanson, 2000).Breach of confidentiality has significant effects like lack of trust between nurse and patient. Lack of respect, non compliance from the patient will also may occur.

Nursing has a renowned history of concern and interest for the welfare of the sick, injured and vulnerable for social justice. Nursing encompasses prevention of illness, decreasing suffering, and the protection, promotion, and restoration of health. Ethics is been an integral part of the foundation of nursing and it is self reflective, enduring and distinctive. In the professional course, a nurse encounters with different types of patients, several types of families and varied situations. Every patient has certain rights and a nurse has to respect them in both legal and ethical aspects. Confidentiality is important to create confidence between nurses and patients. Without promising privacy to their

It is important for nurses to learn and understand the federal and state laws that are in place, as they relate privacy and confidentiality in specific health care facilities. Nurses can only share written or verbal information pertaining to the patient with those who are responsible for the patient’s treatment plan. The consent of the patient needs to be obtained if the nurse is going to provide information to people who are not part of the patient’s treatment plan. Specific mental health issues include disclosing HIV status, there is also a duty to warn and protect third parties, and child & adult abuse needs to be reported. If a nurse suspects that someone or something has violated a patient’s privacy, then the nurse needs to take action to stop the violation

I agree with you Cira, although I would add that the Labor Laws, the Code of Ethics and Medical Deontology and the Deontological Code of Nursing. All these regulations currently in force regulate and protect confidentiality. It is respect for privacy, the right to the elements that constitute it is not a public object of general information, recognized in all constitutions and legal frameworks. It responds to the general objective of improving the quality of people who request our care and assistance. The right to the intimacy of the sick generates in professionals the duty of confidentiality the obligation not to tell anyone what they know of their patients, except to the other professionals involved in their attendance.

This means that nurses, along with student nurses, have a duty of care towards patients and this duty includes maintaining privacy, i.e., protecting the patients from undue intrusion and confidentiality by managing the information provided by the patient discreetly (Price, B., 2015). This must be upheld at all times by the registered nurses as well as the nursing students. Furthermore, nurses should not divulge information about a patient without their consent. The patients have the right to decide if they wish to share confidential information with their relatives or friends (Mazqai, M.,

Concept 06: ICN Code of Ethics: This concept is taken from the Ethical Issues in Nursing Practices Block 1, module 04 entitles as “Ethical Codes”. The International code of ethics for nurses was first adopted by the International Council of Nurses in 1953. The ICN Code of ethics is regularly reviewed and reaffirmed at various times in response to the authenticities of nursing and health care in a changing society.