lOMoARcPSD|3013804
We can but we dare?
Information Systems In Healthcare (Chamberlain
University)
, lOMoARcPSD|3013804
We Can, but Dare We?
As future healthcare professionals there are many different things that we need to be
mindful of, patient privacy is one of the biggest ones. Our patients are coming to us in their most
vulnerable times. They are trusting us, sometimes with their lives. But they also trust us to keep
their most private information private. Patient privacy and confidentiality is covered under
HIPAA. Patient privacy and confidentiality is also a part of nonmaleficence and autonomy. All
of these things are part of our most basic ethical focus. We should never intentionally do
something to harm our patients, this includes breaches of privacy.
HIPAA, Legal, & Regulatory Discussion
The most basic issue of this entire scenario is that a breach of privacy, breaches of
privacy like this one violate something called HIPAA. HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. HIPAA also “safeguards the access of working
Americans and their families to health insurance and protects the right of patients to privacy with
regard to information related to their healthcare” (Woten para. 1, 2018). Breaches in this act can
result in termination of employment, fines and potential jail time. Breaches of patient privacy is
punishable by law and in a instance like this scenario, if it was discovered who took and sent the
photos, more than likely this type of case would be legal recourse. Not only did the nurse take
photos of a patients’ personal information, regardless of celebrity, but she also took photos of the
patient in an unconscious state and in potentially compromising positions. The patient was
unable to give consent, although even with consent this is still very inappropriate behavior on the
part of the nurse. When a patient is unable to give consent it brings autonomy into mind.
Autonomy allows patients to make decisions about themselves and care. “Autonomy is also the
We can but we dare?
Information Systems In Healthcare (Chamberlain
University)
, lOMoARcPSD|3013804
We Can, but Dare We?
As future healthcare professionals there are many different things that we need to be
mindful of, patient privacy is one of the biggest ones. Our patients are coming to us in their most
vulnerable times. They are trusting us, sometimes with their lives. But they also trust us to keep
their most private information private. Patient privacy and confidentiality is covered under
HIPAA. Patient privacy and confidentiality is also a part of nonmaleficence and autonomy. All
of these things are part of our most basic ethical focus. We should never intentionally do
something to harm our patients, this includes breaches of privacy.
HIPAA, Legal, & Regulatory Discussion
The most basic issue of this entire scenario is that a breach of privacy, breaches of
privacy like this one violate something called HIPAA. HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. HIPAA also “safeguards the access of working
Americans and their families to health insurance and protects the right of patients to privacy with
regard to information related to their healthcare” (Woten para. 1, 2018). Breaches in this act can
result in termination of employment, fines and potential jail time. Breaches of patient privacy is
punishable by law and in a instance like this scenario, if it was discovered who took and sent the
photos, more than likely this type of case would be legal recourse. Not only did the nurse take
photos of a patients’ personal information, regardless of celebrity, but she also took photos of the
patient in an unconscious state and in potentially compromising positions. The patient was
unable to give consent, although even with consent this is still very inappropriate behavior on the
part of the nurse. When a patient is unable to give consent it brings autonomy into mind.
Autonomy allows patients to make decisions about themselves and care. “Autonomy is also the
