What principles of patient confidentiality might be an issue? Consider legal and ethical|Course hero helper

Posted: February 23rd, 2023

Discussion Question

A nurse colleague uses his personal cell phone to take a photo of a patient’s wound and then sends a message with the photo to the primary care provider via a text. Please consider the following in your discussion post:

Get your paper done on time by an expert in your field.

Order Now

• What principles of patient confidentiality might be an issue? Consider legal and ethical.
• How might this nurse use a communication device to support safe patient practices?
• What would your organization’s policy on ‘personal communication device use in a patient care setting’ reveal related to this case? (If your organization does not have a written policy, or you are not currently working in an organization, what do you think should be included in such a policy and why?)

SOLUTION

Firstly, the nurse colleague’s use of a personal cell phone to take a photo of the patient’s wound and send it via text to the primary care provider raises concerns regarding patient confidentiality. The nurse colleague is potentially violating the patient’s privacy by taking a photo without their consent and sending it via an unsecured channel. The patient’s personal health information is protected by several laws and regulations, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States. The nurse’s action might breach HIPAA regulations, which could result in legal consequences for both the nurse and the healthcare facility.