Question

You are in the hallway by the nursing station and exam rooms. You and a coworker decide to take a selfie with your new cell phone.

Was there a breach in this scenario? Why or why not?

If you had taken the selfie with the patient lobby in the background, would that be a breach in this scenario? Why or why not?

What are the legal and ethical implications (if any) in this scenario?

Answer 1

No there is no breach in taking a selfie with your coworker in the hallway while If you had taken it with the patient lobby in the background that would be a breach. This breach privacy or confidentiality of the patient with what they post on social media. Breaches of patient privacy can be either intentional or not but this might result in termination of his/her employment.

For example:

• With such commemnts patients can be easily identified
• referring to patients in a degrading manner
• posting photos or videos of patients.

Therefore nurses should understand and follow the ethical and legal obligation so as to maintain patient's confidentiality and privacy at all times.