Privacy and confidentiality
These are values employed in nursing field, portrayed as good care practices of ensuring privacy of information regarding the patient or client in the process of professional practice. As part of privacy, the relationship between the patient and the attendant is valued, protecting and securing personal information and giving priority to personal preferences. Confidentiality involves keeping secret and possibly sharing information diligently depending on the arising situations. Nurses, midwives or health visitor have professional and legal obligations to honor patient’s rights and handle them equally (Brian 2000, pp.102).
Legally, high standards of privacy and confidentiality of patients personal and clinical details in line with telephone and written communication, medical treatment, personal care, accommodations, choice of people to communicate and associate with, meetings and visits of resident groups or family members. The health centre should also be in position to provide private meeting corners with family members or sensitive visitors. If any individual happens to demand clinical record of the patient, the attendants should take the entire mandate to either refuse or approve the release of the details. Exception of this principle can take place during transfers to different health care facility, where the clinical or personal details are required by law or by an insurance company concerned with health contract of the patient.
Patients also have the right to communicate freely such that any written form of communication is considered sensitive thus accorded great privacy. The patient has the right to send and receive mails. For security of the information relayed in mails, the send or received mails should not be opened without their consent. When the receiver is unable to read or write the mails either because of ailment or illiteracy, assistance should be extended if the patient makes such a request. There should also be an unlimited access to writing implements, stationary and postage facilities. This is made to enable and ease the ability of the patient to communicate to family members and other people who are concerned with the treatment process. Still in line with communication, the environment should allow regular access to telephone calls which can be accessed with wheelchair and one can’t be overheard. The system should give opportunities to enable communication alternatives to those who are hearing or visually impaired (Steinecke 2004, pp.10).
When hospitalized, a patient requires legal, social, health and other personal services. Access to these services should be open and unrestricted. Some of these services assist the victim to meet psychological, financial and social needs, aspects that can aid in quickening the healing process of the patient. Links to lawyers, advocates, insurance companies, social security services, pastors and counselors should be opened up.
The patient’s preferences should be respected. This regards to the medical reports, because the patient may either restrict it to some individuals who matter a lot to them or completely bar anybody from accessing it. In the same thought, financial affairs should only be disclosed after consent of the patient.
The health centre should also make sure all staff members adhere to privacy and confidentiality ethics. Staff must restrict discussions and conversation of medical, mental and psychological affairs to appropriate forums and occasions only, such as facility interdisciplinary care team conferences or unit conferences. These issues should not be divulged to any resident unless when the discussion is initiated by other reasons approved by the patient and in compliance to the health centre regulations (Brian 2000, pp.23)
References:
Steinecke M.L. (2004). Requirement and policies for Nurses. Canada, college of nurses of Ontario.
Brian J. (2000). The Law and the patient: Argentina. Courtesy Publishers and Printers Limited.