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Question

Difficulty: MediumConfidentiality and Information Security

A client is receiving care for a severe systemic infection. A colleague who is currently off duty, but who cared for this client during the previous shift, calls the nursing station to ask if the client's morning laboratory results have improved. Which is the appropriate response by the practical nurse receiving the call?

  1. State that client information cannot be shared because the caller is not currently assigned to the client.Answer
  2. B
    Provide a brief summary of the results because the caller was recently part of the client's care team.
  3. C
    Verify the caller's employee identification number before disclosing the requested laboratory results.
  4. D
    Instruct the caller to log into the facility's electronic health record system remotely to view the results.

Answer

The practical nurse should state that client information cannot be shared because the caller is not currently assigned to the client.
The correct response upholds client confidentiality. Protected health information (PHI) should only be accessed by or shared with healthcare personnel who have a current clinical 'need to know'. Even though the caller previously cared for the client, being off duty means they are no longer actively involved in the client's care and therefore are not authorized to receive updates.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the caller's current relationship to the client's care.
The caller is an off-duty nurse and is not actively assigned to the client's care for the current shift.
Determining current assignment status is required to establish if there is a 'need to know' for clinical updates.
2
Apply the principle of 'need to know' under confidentiality and HIPAA guidelines.
Since the caller is off duty, they do not have a legitimate clinical need to access the client's protected health information at this time.
Healthcare workers may only access or receive client information if it is strictly necessary to perform their current job duties.
3
Select the response that protects the client's privacy.
The nurse must politely refuse to share the laboratory results.
Declining the request prevents an unauthorized disclosure of protected health information.

Key Concept

Confidentiality and the 'Need to Know' Principle
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Confidentiality and Information Security

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