Week 3 Nursing: Leadership Case
“Breach of Confidentiality”
How do you feel about the trauma physician contacting Sara to tell her that her boyfriend was coming to the ED? Did this contact violate any standards, rules, or regulations?
With whom would responsibility and accountability rest if a poor patient outcome occurred while Sara was off the unit: Kelly and/or Sara? Why?
Think about the patient records you have encountered in your clinical experiences. Do you feel it is easy for nurses and other staff to access patient medical records, even for those patients for whom they are not providing care? What issues could this lead to? Who might need access to records of patients for whom they are not providing direct care?
Do you feel a violation of patient privacy and confidentiality is grounds for immediate termination based on a policy of progressive discipline, even if it is an individual’s first offense?
