Which action by a nurse would require the charge nurse to intervene to protect patient privacy?

Which action by a nurse would require the charge nurse to intervene to protect patient privacy?

• A. The nurse looks over the physician’s shoulder to see results of an assigned client’s labs.
• B. The nurse requires a client to fill out a release of information form.
• C. The nurse asks another nurse to quickly look up the results of an x-ray for a client not involved in care.
• D. The nurse faxed reports of client tests to the primary care physician’s office.

Answer: (C)

Protecting patient privacy means access to health information is limited to staff who need it to care for the patient, and information is shared only through approved channels. The action that would require intervention is when a nurse asks another nurse to quickly look up the results of an x-ray for a client not involved in care.That request exposes that patient’s private information to someone who has no legitimate need to know, which breaches confidentiality and safety policies. The charge nurse would step in to stop that and reinforce the rule that access is restricted to those directly involved in the patient’s care and through proper channels. In practice, information should be shared only with appropriate team members and, when outside parties are involved, only with patient consent or through formal release processes using secure methods.

Protecting patient privacy means access to health information is limited to staff who need it to care for the patient, and information is shared only through approved channels. The action that would require intervention is when a nurse asks another nurse to quickly look up the results of an x-ray for a client not involved in care.That request exposes that patient’s private information to someone who has no legitimate need to know, which breaches confidentiality and safety policies. The charge nurse would step in to stop that and reinforce the rule that access is restricted to those directly involved in the patient’s care and through proper channels. In practice, information should be shared only with appropriate team members and, when outside parties are involved, only with patient consent or through formal release processes using secure methods.