...Ethical issues on confidentiality and privacy of patients According to American nursing association article regarding patients medical information’s privacy and confidentiality shows us “Advances in technology, including Computerized Medical Databases, The Internet and Tele-Health, have opened the door to potential, unintentional breaches of private /confidential information of patients, so nurses and other health professionals who regularly work with patients and their confidential medical records should contribute the development of standards ,policies and laws that protect patient privacy and confidentiality of health records .” Due to the fast advancement of technology, it is very hard to protect our privacy in the areas of medical sectors. Many people have access to patient’s medical records including the attending physician, house staff, student, consultant, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, billing staffs and insurance company employees. Although computerized medical records have vital roles to improve the access to medical information efficiently, they allow more serious breaches of confidentiality. For example, confidentiality can be violated at any computer station, and fax and e-mail also present opportunities for confidentiality to be broken. I think in my opinion, keeping medical information confidentially shows respect for patents that except physician to maintain confidentiality, and it plays a vital role in improving employees ethics at work. Furthermore, maintaining...
Words: 610 - Pages: 3
...One of the most pressing ethical dilemmas for group therapy is the issue of confidentiality. The APA Ethical Guidelines provide good general information about maintaining confidentiality in therapeutic relationships. Psychologists have a primary responsibility to protect confidential information recognizing that the extent and limits of confidentiality may be regulated by law. Psychologists discuss with persons with whom they establish a professional relationship, the relevant limits of confidentiality and the foreseeable uses of the information. The discussion of confidentiality occurs at the outset of the relationship and thereafter as new circumstances may warrant. Group workers have the responsibility to inform all group participants...
Words: 515 - Pages: 3
...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...
Words: 1067 - Pages: 5
...to be answered is, "If a counselor is an associate Pastor on staff or even just solely a counselor should the Senior/Sole Pastor be made aware of details on every client, since it is important for the Pastors to know their flock in order to best know how to lead and tend them, or does confidentiality apply always strictly between counselor and counselee". It is important to start off understanding what Counselor confidentiality is at its most fundamental nature. It is the responsibility of a therapist or counselor to hold any proprietary or personal information supplied by a patient in the strictest of confidence. It is a generally accepted ethic that breaking counselor confidentiality by revealing the type of information stated above, without the expressed permission of the patient, is considered highly unethical. Keep in mind, however, that in Standards B.1.d, the ACA Code of Ethics requires counselors to fully inform their clients of the limits of confidentiality (ACA, 2005). Also, HIPPA- Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-actually gives a list of nearly two pages of things where confidentiality may be breached legally (hhs.gov). Counselor confidentiality in a "classical" setting, which is the viewpoint we have been speaking from thus far, is designed to allow patients the freedom to share information about themselves that is private in nature, but is important to the process of helping the individual overcome whatever emotional or other...
Words: 2412 - Pages: 10
...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...
Words: 2080 - Pages: 9
...Running head: Confidentiality SHB5315 - Ethics and Leadership in Studies in Human Behavior U10al Analysis of Work Environment and Ethical Dilemma Due: June 15, 2012 By: Katrina Hines The purpose of this paper is to analyze a hypothetical ethical dilemma within a hypothetical work environment, describing professional role within the environment, structure within the professional role who does one supervise and who supervises one, identifying the population that will be served in the professional role and the diversity of the population, addressing social and cultural diversity. Selection; of the appropriate code of professional ethics and ethical decision model; evaluating the function of the work environment in relation to the legal and accepted standard of practice for setting. Selection of the environment Helping Hands is North Carolina’s leading provider of children’s behavioral healthcare. The Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) accepts children from throughout the state. The organization is accredited by the joint Commission, which is recognized nationwide as a symbol of healthcare quality reflecting the highest level of performance and certified by the North Carolina Department of Human Services as a Critical Assess behavioral Health Agency (CABHA). The agency offers a comprehensive array of treatment options for children with emotional and behavioral difficulties. Helping Hands mission is to provide quality professional treatment to children...
Words: 2358 - Pages: 10
...University Abstract Introduction Ethics in therapy is currently a hot topic in the counseling realm. Especially ethics as they relate to group therapy. Group therapy is a common form of therapy utilized by many counselors. This type of therapy encompasses an entirely different set of ethics than that of individual counseling. There are numerous reasons for why a counselor may elect to use group therapy rather than individual therapy. The American Counseling Association (ACA) has developed a code of ethics for the counseling professional in order to provided a universal guideline for all counselor to abide by. Within the code of ethics provided by the ACA are codes that cover areas of the counseling relationship, confidentiality and privacy, professional responsibility, relationships with other professionals, evaluation, assessment, and interpretation, supervision, training, and teaching, research and publication, distance counseling, technology, and social media. All of these areas are further divided into subcategories in order to include all aspects ethics in the counseling relationship. Each of these sections provided by the ACA are important to a counselor practicing in a group setting, however, not all of these areas are applicable to the group counselor. Ethical Issues Unique to Group Therapy Group counseling offers many relationships, in order to assist an individual in growth and problem-solving. During a group therapy session members are encouraged...
Words: 1421 - Pages: 6
...Administrative Ethics Heather Holcomb University of Phoenix Ethics: Health Care and Social Responsibility HCS 335 Deborah Laughon February 5, 2012 Administrative Ethics Abstract of Article: Administrative Ethics and Confidentiality/Privacy Issues This article presents a case study highlighting the conflict between an individual’s right to privacy and the rights of patients and staff to know when a professional standard has been breached. The process by which the administrator determines a course of action is reviewed in the context of workplace realities through an ethical analysis. The growth of information systems and the increased involvement of third parties in decision-making have created new issues regarding confidentiality and the release of sensitive information for health care personnel who are in a position of public trust. The issues facing nursing administrators are complex, and of particular concern are the conflicting demands of providing quality care with limited resources. The authors identify strategies to deal with the workplace issues that give rise to the potential for abuse as well as the strategies to support an impaired colleague who attempts to reenter the workforce (Badzek, Mitchell, Marra, & Bower, 1998). Introduction When asking the general public what health care ethics and health care privacy mean, most will relate that they are about protecting patients. Health care ethics and health care privacy do exist to protect patients and...
Words: 1365 - Pages: 6
... Abstracts The paper researches the ethical issues faced in group counseling. It also shows a comparison of individual and group counseling. The paper discusses issue of confidentiality, and how it affects group counseling. Confidentiality is considered cornerstone to counseling (Kocet 2006). It is very important for the counselor to reinsure that the client understands confidentiality policies. When dealing with adolescents, confidentiality rules and regulations are the same as adults. Counselors are bound by the same rules and regulations to keep the client’s (the minor) records privileged, but in cases of immediate danger or harm to others the counselor can disclose information to the minor’s parent. I think that I was direct leader, and I utilize several of the qualifications and skills that I learned in the class. Ethics Paper: Individual or Group Therapy When seeking help, it is very difficult to decide what type of therapy to choose. Because we have different situations and problems, the decision to choose individual or group therapy could be a very hard one. Many clients choose to benefit from both individual and group therapy. Groups can be a valuable resource to clients and helping them work out their thoughts and feelings in a setting with people that may be going through similar situations (Lawrence and Kurplus 2000). Group can allow clients to gain feedback from other people, and...
Words: 3832 - Pages: 16
...Group Therapy In today’s society, when seeking professional help, there many different types of therapy to choose from. Of the many types of therapy, two of those include group therapy and individual counseling. Group therapy consists of a group of people who meet with a therapist or counselor for the purpose of sharing their problems and providing support for each other. Individual counseling consists of a person (client) meeting with a counselor or therapist one-on-one to discuss whatever problems they may be having. Although both methods of counseling are valuable, for the purpose of this portion of research, group therapy will be examined and the ethical challenges faced when using this form of counseling. Group therapy is often times described as one of the most effective and beneficial kinds of treatment. It is believed that because all members in the group share similar issues, contributions from the other members are valuable to the individual. This form of counseling brings together individuals with similar issues and it allows people to see that they are not alone. There are other people who may be experiencing or going through the same issues. According to Jacobs, Masson, Harvill, & Schimmel (2012), “Any helping professional who is looking for an economical and effective means of helping individuals who share similar problems and concerns should use groups” (p. 2). Knowing that other people have some of the same issues can also be comforting to someone who might not...
Words: 2295 - Pages: 10
...is looked over in the condition of workplace realities through an ethical analysis. The increase of information systems and the progressive involvement of third parties in decision making have created new problems dealing with confidentiality and the letting go of sensitive information for health care personnel who are in a the eye of public trust. The problems that are facing nursing administrators are very complicated and of specific concern are the conflicting demands of giving quality care with not much resource. In this article the author talks about different plan of action that has to deal with the work environment, problems that give left to the possibility for abuse as well as different way to help an impaired colleague who attempts to reenter the workforce. When talking about the two types of ethics, institutional and organizational ethics, they are becoming more familiar about the latest health care systems. The areas with the most ethical challenges and value conflicts are increasing are organizational financing mechanisms, structural design, and employer- employee relations. The problems created by differences in organizational, individual, and professional values are most shown when administrators and managers deal with ways to work or organize organizational goals without disturbing personal and professional values. Administrators...
Words: 1117 - Pages: 5
...for the sick and needy population. Nurses take care of the patient’s deepest and painful needs in an intimate way compared to other disciplines in the health care team (Nazarko, 2009). Nurses frequently encounter ethical dilemmas and issues related to providing confidential information. This paper analysis is about the ethical recommendations on breach of privacy act between the nurses and the patient. Hippocratic Oath evidently explains about the importance of confidentiality in medical ethics. The oath is like this," That whatsoever I shall see or hear of the lives of my patients that are not fitting to be spoken, I will keep in confidence" (Hippocratic Oath, 2010). In Nightingale’s pledge for nursing, says that ‘‘I will hold in confidence of all personal matters in the practice of nursing” (Gretter, 1893). All nurses take Nightingale’s pledge at their graduation oath. Nurses are dedicated to provide better care for their patient based on their patient’s values and beliefs to maintain confidentiality. The provision of health care is comprehensive and people’s needs are often complex. Modern technology has made advanced changes in healthcare. With the many advances changes in health care a equivalent danger of over-specialization has. In this modern healthcare patients and their families are more knowledgeable about the sophisticated cares. Nurses have to be more cautious about their communication and critical decision making, due to the ethical dilemmas they come across...
Words: 978 - Pages: 4
...Ethics in Nursing Practice, Values and Decision Making Name Name of College Abstract Nurses work with a wide range of patients, and each patient presents their own economic, social and cultural differences. While nurses work to provide care for the sick, injured and dying, they are always working within the boundaries of their professional codes of ethics. The nursing code of ethics is more than laws and common etiquette, and upholding the code of ethics is understood and agreed upon by people in the nursing profession. The two kinds of ethical theories discussed most in nursing are consequentialist and nonconsequentialist theories. By examining these two theories, nurses are able to evaluate the principle of confidentiality and how to apply the principle within reasonable limits. Further understanding of these normative theories gives nurses the abilities to evaluate conflict avoidance and resolution. As nurses further navigate the world of ethics, they discover how the code of ethics is influenced by a person’s culture, and they acquire a solid foundation for current ethical decision-making models used in their industry. Ethics in Nursing Practice, Values and Decision Making Nurses who take care of patients are encouraged to do so with a certain level of politeness. Other than being polite, nurses are required to be skilled, and they must follow the laws which govern them in their field of practice. Between all of the skills, politeness and laws...
Words: 3298 - Pages: 14
...participated in a multitude of activities to enhance my learning experience. Per the learning contract, there are five activities that I chose to discuss throughout this paper. I chose to write about these five activities because they were insightful, and I learned a lot from doing them. Agency’s Confidentiality Policy One activity I chose to complete in my learning contract was to read and follow Wright County’s confidentiality policy within the first week of my internship. This activity falls under objective one in my learning contract: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior. This activity connects to objective one because it helped me to better understand the expectations at Wright County. Additionally, this activity made me engage in professional behaviors. By understanding their confidentiality policy, I am engaging in professional behavior because I am following the agency’s policy. Social workers must understand their roles and responsibilities in not only the social work profession, but also their role at the agency. To complete this activity, I did the training on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA). This training taught me the importance of confidentiality. In addition, my supervisor and I discussed...
Words: 1566 - Pages: 7
...Considerations for Group leadership in Counseling David Cook Liberty University HSER 511-04 Dr. Pinkston July 4, 2014 Abstract Ethics has been in the forefront in the counseling field, especially in the recent cases of PTSD and military and family counseling. This type of family and group counseling presents new ethical considerations for professionals. Group leaders have to be aware of new updates in the code of ethics and legal responsibilities while showing empathy and leadership in the group. The viewpoints in this paper will consider those codes from the perspective of a professional Christian leader. Viewpoints will include techniques for group participation, professional training for the leader, confidentiality considerations, ethnic and cultural awareness and ethical financial practices. There will be a focus on the personal relationships within the group setting and how the leader can effectively control the ethical relationships. This paper will present a personal testimony on Christian qualities that direct leadership and ethical considerations in treatment in family healing. Ethical Considerations for Group leadership in Counseling Professional counseling and group therapy has received more recognition in the past few years and the subject of ethical practices, as a result, has become more important and relevant. Codes for ethical practices have become more evolved to protect the professional as well as the clients. The educational...
Words: 2929 - Pages: 12
