...The Importance of Confidentiality Within the healthcare sector there is an ethical code known as a ‘Care Value Base’ (CVB). The CVB helps to govern healthcare workers, and provides guidance as to how to act in particular situations. Its purpose is to eliminate discrimination and poor healthcare, while protecting the rights of the service user. One important ‘right’ to be upheld within healthcare, is a person’s right to confidentiality. Confidentiality requires withholding information, personal or otherwise, and not sharing it with anyone without consent. Patient confidentiality is particularly important within a healthcare environment as it is essential to maintain trust. “That is so they can have trust and confidence in the people who are giving them the service. A patient should be certain that, whatever their issues are, they won’t be shared with anybody else unnecessarily. That’s a basic right of every patient.” (The Nursing Times, n.d.) When ‘rights’ are upheld the service user is able to trust their doctor or nurse, and have the confidence to divulge their personal information and concerns. This means the service providers are then able to deliver the highest quality of care, because the service user feels safe and comfortable communicating. However as suggested above by the Nursing Times, sometimes it is necessary to break confidentiality. This occurs when to do otherwise would endanger others, or be a serious breach of criminal law. The CVB plays an important...
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...professional Registered Nurses (RN’s) maintaining patient confidentiality is very important. Confidentiality is defined as “the right of an individual patient to have personal, identifiable medical information kept private.” (http://www.ceus-nursing.com/courses/material_detail). This information should only be shared with the physician, nurse and other members of the health care team. The imperative of confidentiality can be traced back to the Hippocratic Oath not to reveal secrets, and to the Nightingale Pledge. “I will do all in my power to elevate the standard of my profession and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my profession”. (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008, p. 69). The implications of a breach in confidentiality can have a significant impact on the nurse and the patient and create ethical dilemmas. Disclosure of information can cause problems on a personal, legal and professional level. The ethical need for confidentiality in nursing is vital, due to the need to establish mutual trust between the nurse and the patient. When this relationship is established the patient would be more comfortable in discussing personal matters such as their sex life and other things considered taboo if they know that their information would remain confidential. Several ethical implications occur as a result in the breach of confidentiality, for example the loss of patient trust and respect, responsibility...
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...Importance of Confidentiality in a Group and Ensuring Confidentiality Within and Outside of a Group Format Christina M. Bell Camden County College The purpose of this paper is to explain the importance of confidentiality in group counseling. Additionally this paper will discuss how a counselor can ensure confidentiality within and outside of a group format. Importance of Confidentiality in a Group Confidentiality in group counseling is mandatory as it is both an ethical and a legal issue. Federal law (Title 42, Part 2 or 42 C.F.R., Part 2, Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records) guarantees strict confidentiality of information about all people receiving substance abuse prevention and/or treatment services. Clients should be fully informed regarding issues of confidentiality and group leaders should do all they can to build respect for confidentiality and anonymity within groups. Confidentiality in group therapy is important because it protects the clients, counselor, and the agency. It protects the client’s personal and professional reputation. It also protects the counselor and any organization that counselor may be affiliated with. Confidentiality is an essential part of the ground rules for group therapy; these rules should be firmly established within the group. Unfortunately, there is no absolute guarantee of privacy when sharing with others. Individuals who attend group sessions can feel more vulnerable in regards to confidentiality. They are met...
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...Confidentiality Procedure Purpose of Policy Little Dreams Nursery is committed to keeping information about children, parents and carers and staff as confidential as possible. At Little Dreams Nursery we respect every parent and child's rights to confidentiality; with this in mind would all parents please be aware of the following points. Who is Responsible It is the responsibility of all members of staff to ensure that all confidential information including personal records for children, parents and staff remains confidential and within the confines of the setting. The information stored in the nursery files about the children is available only to Setting staff and the individual child's parents. This information is stored securely. Please see the Data Protection and Information Sharing Policies for further details. Parents and carers should feel that they can talk to a member of setting staff in complete confidence, if you would like this please speak to the member of staff of your choice, this information will not be shared unless it is in the best interests of the child, if the information is shared parents should feel secure that only setting staff will be privy to this information. Parents will be asked for their permission if the information is to be shared out-with the setting. Any information given to us about parents or children at the nursery will be treated with the utmost respect and will remain confidential to all except for nursery staff. (Please note: staff will...
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...Confidentiality, Privacy, and Security Confidentiality, Privacy, and Security have a lot in common as they pertain to today's information technology in healthcare. However, they also have their own different meanings and significant roles in their functions in data maintenance and management. Confidentiality Confidentiality is one of the core duties in medical practice that requires healthcare providers to keep patient's personal health information private unless the patient provides consent to release the information. Confidentiality is important because patient's routinely share their personal information with healthcare providers and if the patient's confidentiality of their information is not protected then trust in the physician would diminish. Patients would also be less likely to share sensitive information, which could negatively impact their care. Privacy Privacy is the individual's right to keep his or her data to themselves and often it often applies to their rights as consumers to have their information safeguarded from other parties that involves the protection of vulnerable data, as well as their personal data from being freely distributed over the internet or sold to third parties. Privacy is vitally important when maintaining medical information because just like confidentiality, patients may not seek treatment or may withhold important information about their health out of concern for their privacy. When patients know that they can truly trust their...
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...This essay will discuss the need for confidentiality and the nurse’s duty to keep information he/she is privy to, confidential. Brown et al (1992) suggest that a duty of confidentiality can be described as information that is disclosed which ought not to be disclosed further except within the relevant limits. Confidentiality is generally defined as the process of the protection of personal information, and is regarded as an integral part of a nurse’s role. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) are the regulatory body of registered nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom, and clause 5 of the NMC code of professional conduct states that registrants have a duty to protect confidential information (NMC, 2006). Failure to adhere to this clause could result in removal from the register, as confidentiality is something all nurses must respect and be aware of. So what is patient confidentiality and why is it so important? The Department of Health (2003) says “A duty of confidence arises when one person discloses information to another (e.g. patient to clinician) in circumstances where it is reasonable to expect the information will be held in confidence.” Confidential information (in the authors opinion as a healthcare student) includes but is not limited to information pertaining to an individual, e.g. name, contact details, medical details. When in a position of trust and having access to confidential information, it is a good idea to ask yourself ‘what would I regard as confidential...
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...Running head: MAINTAINING PATIENT CONFIDENCE: AN OVERVIEW Maintaining Patient Confidence: An Overview of Nursing Aspects Glenn E. Reihing RN CEN Grand Canyon University NRS – 437V Ethical Decision Making in Healthcare Professor Terri Bond November 10, 2013 Maintaining Patient Confidence: An Overview of Nursing Aspects Maintaining a confidence with another person has always been a sacred trust and duty within the medical community. It was important enough that it is in both the Hippocratic Oath and the Nightingale Pledge. The nursing oath not only looked at the patient’s privacy but the family unit as well. The foundation of trust and respect is built upon the notion that the patient can tell their medical provider whether it is a nurse or doctor anything and it will be kept private. Patients expect the medical community to maintain that duty. There are situations when confidentiality may conflict with other ethical ideals. A breach of confidentiality occurs when a medical professional discloses information that the patient reasonably expects to be private. When a confidence is divulged, it then is reasonable for the patient to assume that anything they have disclosed revealed. It is a sign of disrespect to the patient that the nurse would make known medical information that they would reasonably expect to be consider private. This type of breach can destroy a bond of trust developed between the patient and their clinician. If the patient does not believe their...
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...I've discussed with my mentor the way to maintain people's confidentiality at all time which is important for care. I have looked over my practice assessment record and is one of proficiency and competency needed to achieve as professional care worker. I have also read the NMC code of conduct performance and ethics which states at chapter five about value to people's right to privacy and confidentiality. Feelings I felt sometime people think the manner of liaising information to them is unacceptable and the believe it breeches their confidentiality in the existence of others which I need to be aware of whenever doing any task. I am shock to have said things in an open manner {rather than being in an isolated place and my feelings are unwariness to situation and environment at a point on time and that always causes miss communication and unhelpful frame of mind to patients. There is a sense of patients losing the self-confidence reposed in staff if confidentiality is not safeguarding. Evaluation of experience In my opinion is sometimes over confidence which makes me think I can discuss information without looking the information in a critical way and exactly how sensitive the information weight and the extent of the safeguard of the information to...
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...behaviour of care workers. Miller (1996) argued that behind the core value base are two key values. First one being “respect for the worth and dignity of every individual” and the second being “According social justice and promoting the health and social welfare of every individual” which basically means that everyone receives fair treatment in society. The three main areas of care value base in health and social care are fostering equality and diversity, fostering people’s rights and responsibilities and maintaining confidentiality of information. Care values are fundamental beliefs about the right of correct way of treating service users but care values can also be seen as moral rights. We all have human rights and legislation. Some laws created against discrimination are equal pay Act 1970, sex discrimination Act 1975, race relations Act 1976 and disability discrimination Act 1975. Legal rights are rights that are supported by the law, for example confidentiality which is used at a doctor’s surgery which prevents any information about you from getting out unless you are at risk of harm or at risk of harming others. Moral rights are things you have a right to expect in a health care setting but no law has been broken if you don’t get them, for example politeness from a doctors receptionist. Human rights are things all humans have a right to, for example a right to life, freedom from torture, slavery and abuse which mean...
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...The doctor-patient relationship is an important connection. Doctor-patient confidentiality is based on the notion that a person shouldn’t be worried about seeking medical treatment for fear that his or her condition will be disclosed to others. There are some patient problems that doctor should keep in secret and not tell the third person about the problems. There is an example, if a teenager tell a doctor “I am really depressed and I’ve been thinking of killing myself”(“Teenage confidentiality: A young person’s right to privacy”).The doctor can’t tell the information, because the doctor has got this kid the proper help. The teenager’s concerns about confidentiality can be a major barrier to obtaining health care. The contraception teens have a right to confidentiality when it comes to contraception. Also, it is mutually understood that any information the young patient shares with the physician remains in strict confidence unless in the doctor’s judgment. The teen is exhibiting problems or behavior that can be interpreted as dangerous, if the doctor’s duty to inform the parents. The doctor have a duty to warn individuals who are threatened by their patients with bodily harm. Severe mental health issues, severe emotions and mental health problems. The doctor suspects that these issues may stem from major problems within the home. Those are the problems the doctor should keep in secret and the keep patient’s proper. There are some doctor problems that what doctor thinks...
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...Principle I Responsibility to Clients Marriage and family therapists advance the welfare of families and individuals. They respect the rights of those persons seeking their assistance, and make reasonable efforts to ensure that their services are used appropriately. 1.1 Non-Discrimination. Marriage and family therapists provide professional assistance to persons without discrimination on the basis of race, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, gender, health status, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or relationship status. 1.2 Informed Consent. Marriage and family therapists obtain appropriate informed consent to therapy or related procedures and use language that is reasonably understandable to clients. The content of informed consent may vary depending upon the client and treatment plan; however, informed consent generally necessitates that the client: (a) has the capacity to consent; (b) has been adequately informed of significant information concerning treatment processes and procedures; (c) has been adequately informed of potential risks and benefits of treatments for which generally recognized standards do not yet exist; (d) has freely and without undue influence expressed consent; and (e) has provided consent that is appropriately documented. When persons, due to age or mental status, are legally incapable of giving informed consent, marriage and family therapists obtain informed permission from a legally authorized person...
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...return. While other times, not saying anything is the best option for them at that time. In a world that is composed of black and white, it is so hard to see the grey. When is it admirable to breach confidentiality between a patient and a health care provider? Is it when a patient exposes a life threatening life style? Or is it when they tell you they are afraid of their living situation? Legal exceptions to the standard of practice that confidences must be kept, except with the patient's consent or at the patient's request to break it, include the following; An emergency in which keeping the confidence will harm the patient. The patient is incompetent or incapacitated, and a third party needs to be informed to be a surrogate decision maker for the patient. Third parties are at serious risk for harm (e.g., sexually transmitted diseases, child or other abuse). Request for commitment or hospitalization of a psychiatrically ill patient. A serious risk that many others may be harmed (a terrorist threat) (Purtilo & Doherty, 2011, p. 209). What if the situation you are facing is not one of those mentioned above? How do you come to a conclusion that seeks benefit and not harm? A reasonable alternative to address the dilemma is to have a six step process in confidentiality situations. Step one: gather relevant information. Find out exactly what and who you are dealing with, is it a power of attorney seeking...
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...The essay will define confidentiality its importance to nurses as a profession and the Nursing and Midwifery Code of Professional Conduct. It will further look at possible dilemmas that could arise in course of practice between the nurse colleagues and the clients. Examples will be based on my clinical placement 1 at Blackfriars Work Centre. Confidentiality is keeping secret, the shared information depending on the situation arising. Dimond (2002) define confidentiality as one of the values of good practise that is concerned with protecting the private information obtained about the patient and client during the period of professional practice. Importantly all nurses including midwives have legal and professional responsibilities to respect the rights of patients and clients and treat them equally. NMC (2002) states that as a registered nurse, midwife or health visitor, you must protect confidential information. Clause 10 UKCC (1992) further states that health professionals should avoid from divulging such information without the client’s consent or a nominated person advocating on his behalf unless the disclosure is required by court order, in the public health interest and in the best interest of the patient. In addition, confidentiality as part of the social, ethical and moral basis of working in care setting is further explained in the NMC (2002) clause 5.1-5.4. In clinical setting, preserving confidentiality is view as the key to establish trust, promote good relationship...
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...nurse’s job is not just limited to administering medications and educating patients. Nurses also have a role in duties regarding legal and ethical issues, which include maintaining a patient’s confidentiality and privacy. When a nurse accepts the job, he or she also takes the Nightingale Pledge that was established in 1893 (McGowan, 2012). This pledge states that a nurse would do “all in [his or her] power to maintain and elevate the standard of [his or her] profession, and hold in confidence all personal matters committed to [his or her] keeping and all family affairs coming to [his or her] knowledge in the practice of [his or her] calling” (McGowan, 2012). A patient’s confidentiality is protected today through policies, regulations, and laws made by the hospital, state, and federal system. There is one question that is always open for debate: should a nurse ever breach confidentiality? In “Bioethics on NBC’s ER: Betraying Trust or Providing Good Care? When is it Ok to Break Confidentiality?” written by Pamela G. Nathanson, Carol Hathaway, a character that portrays a nurse in a television show, comes face to face with dilemma that could lead to a breach of confidentiality. After gaining the trust of two teenage girls, Hathaway worries about what would happen if she protects the confidentiality of the girls after learning about one of their diagnoses. Andrea, one of the teenagers who attended a sex party, was diagnosed with not only human papillomavirus but also cervical cancer....
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...Reconfirm consent by asking the participants to pass forward the pre-requested consent form. Restating the purpose of the research, and reassure confidentiality. Consequently, it is important to establish a personal contact with the interviewees so they are comfortable and willing to verbally express their thoughts and experiences. Nonetheless, where any request may be perceived as indicting lack of choice, to gain their confidence and participation, you will need to exercise care over the wording to be used in the request that is sent to them to take part. This can be a multistep process. For example, you may begin by approaching community supervisors or leaders and explaining the research to them. Simultaneously, an email with an attachment...
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