ATI- HIPAA Virtual Scenario Questions
and Answers | Latest Version | 2025/2026
| Correct & Verified
A nurse walks into a patient’s room while the patient’s neighbor is visiting and begins discussing
lab results out loud. What is the nurse’s mistake?
✔✔ Violating HIPAA by disclosing protected health information in front of an unauthorized
person
You overhear two nurses talking about a patient’s mental health condition at the nurse’s station
near visitors. What is the best immediate action?
✔✔ Remind them to have such discussions in a private, secure area to protect patient
confidentiality
A patient’s adult daughter calls the nurse station asking for an update on her mother’s condition.
The patient has not given permission. What should the nurse do?
✔✔ Refuse to share any information and explain that patient consent is required
A nursing student documents care in the electronic health record and walks away without logging
out. What is the issue?
1
, ✔✔ This is a HIPAA violation because unauthorized individuals could access the patient’s data
A physician requests a copy of a discharge summary for a patient they are not treating. What is
the nurse’s appropriate response?
✔✔ Decline the request because the physician is not directly involved in the patient’s care
During bedside report, the nurse mentions a patient’s HIV status with a roommate present in the
room. What part of HIPAA is being violated?
✔✔ Privacy — the nurse shared sensitive health information in front of an unauthorized
individual
A nurse receives an email from an unknown source requesting patient lab results. What should
the nurse do?
✔✔ Do not respond and report the email as a potential phishing or privacy threat
A student nurse asks to look at a celebrity patient's chart "just to learn." What is the instructor’s
best response?
✔✔ Accessing records without a need to know violates HIPAA, even for educational curiosity
2
and Answers | Latest Version | 2025/2026
| Correct & Verified
A nurse walks into a patient’s room while the patient’s neighbor is visiting and begins discussing
lab results out loud. What is the nurse’s mistake?
✔✔ Violating HIPAA by disclosing protected health information in front of an unauthorized
person
You overhear two nurses talking about a patient’s mental health condition at the nurse’s station
near visitors. What is the best immediate action?
✔✔ Remind them to have such discussions in a private, secure area to protect patient
confidentiality
A patient’s adult daughter calls the nurse station asking for an update on her mother’s condition.
The patient has not given permission. What should the nurse do?
✔✔ Refuse to share any information and explain that patient consent is required
A nursing student documents care in the electronic health record and walks away without logging
out. What is the issue?
1
, ✔✔ This is a HIPAA violation because unauthorized individuals could access the patient’s data
A physician requests a copy of a discharge summary for a patient they are not treating. What is
the nurse’s appropriate response?
✔✔ Decline the request because the physician is not directly involved in the patient’s care
During bedside report, the nurse mentions a patient’s HIV status with a roommate present in the
room. What part of HIPAA is being violated?
✔✔ Privacy — the nurse shared sensitive health information in front of an unauthorized
individual
A nurse receives an email from an unknown source requesting patient lab results. What should
the nurse do?
✔✔ Do not respond and report the email as a potential phishing or privacy threat
A student nurse asks to look at a celebrity patient's chart "just to learn." What is the instructor’s
best response?
✔✔ Accessing records without a need to know violates HIPAA, even for educational curiosity
2
