Question

Could someone explain the role of the nurse addressing specific client care needs during HIPAA.

Answer 1

As a nurse you must respect confidential information about patient and use information only to perform your role as a nurse in that agency. It is nurses responsibility to be sure patient information is only given or disclosed to who have a legal right to it.

* All information that identifies an individual is considered confidential.

* This includes, but is not limited to name, address, date of birth, phone or fax numbers, social security number, medical record number and photographs.

* It also includes nursing and physician needs, as well as billing and other treatment records used during a patient visit in a hospial.

Above given all information needs to be kept private or it should be confidential.

Nurses are at the forefront of handling, managing and disclosing private health information via communication with patients and their family members, with other medical providers. HIPAA violation including unintentional violation carry serious financial and civil penalties. HIPAA is a complex law, but 2 main principle should be inform compliance.

* Need to know : according to this principle when you access PHI you should ask yourself that do I and others need to know this information

* Minimum necessary : according to this principle whne you access PHI you should ask yourself am I using or disclosing a smallest amount of phi necessary to do my job?

Keep in mind that HIPAA doesnot bar all disclosure of PHI. Disclosure of PHI is often necessary to doing your duty as a nurse. In any cases PHI must be disclosed for clinical resaon and for the public welfare or for safety reason.