What does the NMC say about confidentiality?
As a nurse, midwife or nursing associate, you owe a duty of confidentiality to all those who are receiving care. This includes making sure that they are informed about their care and that information about them is shared appropriately. You can only make a ‘conscientious objection’ in limited circumstances.
What is confidentiality in Nursing ethics?
The principle of confidentiality is founded in the patient’s right to privacy and the preservation of the nurse-patient relationship.
What is the importance of confidentiality in Nursing?
The importance of confidentiality Patients disclose private and confidential information to doctors so that they can be treated and advised appropriately – if confidentiality is breached, patients will be reluctant to divulge information and therefore treatment may be affected.
How do nurses maintain confidentiality?
Keep accurate, relevant records. Record and use only the information necessary. Keep information and records physically and electronically secure and confidential (for example leave your desk tidy, take care not to be overheard when discussing cases and never discuss cases in public places.
When can nurses break confidentiality?
Breaking confidentiality is done when it is in the best interest of the patient or public, required by law or if the patient gives their consent to the disclosure. Patient consent to disclosure of personal information is not necessary when there is a requirement by law or if it is in the public interest.
When should a nurse breach confidentiality?
Confidentiality must also be breached when a nurse suspects or learns of child abuse. Although there is no law that requires nurses to report child abuse, the employment contracts of nurses who work for health boards require them to report child abuse.
Why is confidentiality important in healthcare UK?
Why confidentiality is important Confidentiality is central to the development of trust between doctors and patients. Patients must be able to expect that information about their health is kept confidential unless there is a compelling reason that it should not be.
Why is confidentiality important in Healthcare NHS?
Confidentiality is a fundamental part of health care and crucial to the trust between doctors and patients. All staff in the NHS have legal, ethical and contractual obligations of confidentiality and must ensure they act appropriately to protect patient information against improper disclosure.
Why is confidentiality important in NHS?
It is important that NHS England and NHS Improvement protect and safeguard person-identifiable and confidential business information that it gathers, creates processes and discloses, in order to comply with the law, relevant NHS mandatory requirements and to provide assurance to patients and the public.
How does NHS maintain confidentiality?
- PROTECT – look after the patient’s information; b.
- INFORM – ensure that patients are aware of how their information is used; c.
- PROVIDE CHOICE – allow patients to decide whether their information can be disclosed or used in particular ways.
- IMPROVE – always look for better ways to protect, inform, and provide choice.
Is confidentiality embedded in the nursing and Midwifery Council Code?
This essay will explore the aspect of confidentiality as embodied within the Nursing and Midwifery Council Code (hereafter referred to as NMC, 2008).
What is the role of a nurse in maintaining confidentiality?
Maintaining confidentiality is a significant part to a nurse’s role as stated in the NMC Code of Conduct (2008): 5.2”make sure that people are informed about how and why information is used and shared by others”. Therefore I will refer to the patient as Jeremy Benson.
What should the NMC code of confidentiality now be looking at?
The NMC code of confidentiality should now be looking towards helping the nurse distinguish between a serious wish of anonymity against a cry out for help. This is an issue which should be treated as a cornerstone of nursing practice and education in the future.
Is it a breach of confidentiality to access patient records?
Thus there will be a breach of confidentiality if a patient’s records are accessed for another purpose or without the patient’s consent. The NMC duly takes into account the relevant data protection legislation in its guidelines (The NMC Guidelines,2004).