Patient Confidentiality: Ethical Implications to Nursing Practice Essay

Patient mysticity is a fundamental practice in healthcare and it is constituent(a) part of healthcare honorable standards (Purtilo & Dougherty, 2010). According to the American Nurses Association (ANA) code of ethics the cherish has a duty to maintain confidentiality of all tolerant information (Nursing world, p.6). Also, when a forbearing confidentiality is violated the nurse whitethorn risk their safety and welfare. There are a few exceptions to this obligation such as an plus need to protect the patient and other parties or mandatory laws that protect public health (Nursing world, 2012). The quandary disclosed in the article Betraying Trust or Providing Good Care? When is it okay to dampen confidentiality? Constitutes an honorable dilemma for the nurse caring for a teenage patient diagnosed with a sexually transmitted sickness as well as relate cervical cancer. The nurse sooner or later has to apprize the patient parents due to further treatment is needed and parental co nsent is required. The nurse also has to instruct the patients school since it raises concern for public health issues.There are many cause concerns presented in this article. First of all, if a patients confidentiality is betrayed the patient may not want to get together in the future with the healthcare team. The patient may decide he/she doesnt want checkup care period, so this could risk the treatment of the patient. Secondly, the nurses must show respect and dignity for the patient by honoring the patients privacy. Lastly, the sanctity of the nurse-patient relationship mandates maintaining confidentiality. The patient entrusts the medical professional with private and confidential information. The medical professional must be absolutely certain of the risks versus benefits when deciding to breach confidentiality (Nathanson, 2000).The decision to break confidentiality should only be do using a systematic approach that follows an ethical decision do model. The first step in this process is gathering all relevant information. Once the healthcare provider is certain that all pertinent information is evaluated they can determine the type of ethical dilemma. In this depicted object the ethical dilemma was the choice to maintain or breach patient confidentiality. Afterdetermine the temper of the dilemma it is important to use a theoretical framework to analyze the issue. The nurse using a utilitarianistic theory would look at all consequences of breaking confidentiality versus maintaining confidentiality. If the nurse utilizes a deontological approach the decision is made based on the nurses duty and responsibility to uphold patient confidentiality. The nurse would whence determine what to do in the situation by looking at all the alternatives. After determining a course of action the nurse must proceed with the action that is thought to be best. In the end the nurse should evaluate the outcomes of the decision for future professional development (Purti lo & Dougherty, 2010).A nurse go about with this type of situation may seek advice from the institutions ethics committee in rate to determine the appropriate course of action. An ethics committee may be composed of clinical force out as well as non-clinical personnel. The committee most likely has and ethical consultant available as well to guide the decision making process. The role of an ethics committee in the clinical scene is to provide support and guidance to caregivers when they are faced with an ethical problem. The committee helps to reduce moral agony and maintain ethical practice (Lachman, 2010, p. 1). In the previously mentioned bailiwick involving the teenage patients dear to confidentiality the ethics committee may have taken the following approach. First the committee would determine the patients ability to make decisions.They would then review all clinical information and facts related to the case. solely of the alternatives would be examined and then valued according to the risks and benefits for the patient. Facility policies related to patient confidentiality as well as legal implications would be referenced. In this case the committee would investigate the potential for community harm related to the situation. After determining an ethical plan of action, recommendations would be made to the mendelevium and nurse in this case (Lachman, 2010). In the end the decision would be a collaborative effort between the nurse and physician based on the recommendations. Protecting a patients private health information is an ethical practice that helps to maintain the trusting relationship between patient and nurse.The professional nurse is obligated to do so not only by the professional code of ethics but also by government mandates related to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). There are instances when thebest interests of the patient or community safety provide good cause for breaking patient confidentiality. It is i mportant for the nurse to use an ethical decision making process either alone or in quislingism with the healthcare team to determine the appropriate course of action (Purtilo & Dougherty, 2010).ReferencesAmerican Nurses Association Code of morality retrieved from Nursingworld (ANA website) available at http//www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/CodeofEthicsforNurses/Code-of-Ethics.pdfLachman, V. (2010). Ethics, law, and policy. Clinical ethics committees organizational support for ethical practice. MEDSURG Nursing, 19(6), 351-353.Nathanson, Pamela G., Bioethics on NBCs ER Betraying Trust or Providing Good Care? When Is It Ok to Break Confidentiality? (February 24, 2000) located at http//www.bioethics.net/articles.php?viewCat=7&articleId=133Purtilo, poignancy M. & Doherty, Regina (2010). Ethical Dimensions in the Health Professions 5 (Vital Source Bookshelf). Retrieved from http//pageburstls.elsevier.com/books/978-1-4377-0896-7/id/B9781437708967000126_f5010