It is the obligation of healthcare practitioners to preserve patient privacy and confidentiality at all times. However, healthcare practitioners face diverse types and levels of privacy- and confidentiality-associated ethical dilemmas while dealing with specific types of patients. One such special case that presents ethical dilemmas on patient privacy and confidentiality is when a physician handles a criminal patient (Gardiner, 2003). The scenario becomes more complicated if it involves giving an emergency care to a patient who has been involved in a criminal act such as robbery, during which he or she has been shot or injured in some other ways. It is of the essence that physicians and other healthcare providers are conversant with the work standards and regulation pertaining to dealing with such patients, aiding their decision-making processes (Gardiner, 2003).
In many instances, doctors and nurses are more inclined to inform the law enforcement agencies whenever they encounter criminal patients and other cases that warrant that authorities be alerted. It is generally recommended that a combination of broad knowledge of ethical, legal, and professional obligations and their intuition to make the right decision (Pauls et al., 2004). In addition to criminal patients, physicians have to contend with patients that refuse to participate in the
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For instance, a patient may be examined, only to reveal signs of past and recent IV drug use among other incriminating acts (Pauls et al., 2004). It presents the examining physician with myriad legal, ethical, and professional dilemmas on how to deal with such a patient. In another case, a patient may visit a physician with a wound that was suffered during a criminal act or, a robbery survivor with a gunshot wound may enter a health facility seeking the lodged bullet removed and his wounds sealed (Pauls et al.,
Sofia’s Case Study”), withholding seemingly necessary and vital information from a patient is in fact ethical. However, this might be one of the rarer cases in medical ethics. The
Candace Newmaker, a bright girl trying to find a home until she met her terrible fate of being murdered. One of the worst things you can inflict upon another human, is to steal their lives. People who take another’s life are sentenced harshly. But when it comes to doctors, they receive a free pass. Why should doctors and medical physicians not be as harshly punished compared to others?
Theses steps are imperative to maintaining the patient’s privacy. When disclosing
Electronic Health Records and Patient Confidentiality Technology has become an essential part of our everyday life therefore, it makes sense that doctors and hospitals get rid of the old fashioned paper charting and use technology to access patient records. Electronic health records (EHR) provide quick access to information, as doctors no longer have to wait for other providers to fax previous records to them. The accessibility of Electronic Health Records assist medical providers to make quick medical care decisions, by accessing previous care provided to patients including treatment and diagnosis. Quick access to information through EHR enables health care providers to treat patients faster as there is no need for records to be mailed or
This dilemma also exemplifies how one complex dilemma in patient care, can impact on legal, ethical and professional issues for nurses. These issues interface with each other in substantial ways. Nurses must be prepared for these inevitable challenging situations (Tang, 2011). The author must consider the legal, regulatory, ethical,
All healthcare facilities have the duty to protect their patient’s health information. This is ensured through the Health Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (Health and Human Services (HHS), 2015). When HIPAA is violated, there are civil and criminal penalties that will be charged against the offender (American Medical Association (AMA), n.d.). The purpose of this post is to discuss HIPAA laws and penalties. I will also discuss the charges pressed against Dr. Zhou for violating HIPAA laws.
Covert use of medication can be seen as dishonest as the NMC code (2015) states respect the level to which people receiving care want to be involved in decisions about their own health, wellbeing and care; the code of practice also states act with honesty and integrity at all times, treating people fairly. In contrast however, Beauchamp and Childress (2009) highlights non disclosure, limited discolour, deception or lying may be considered when veracity and the principle of autonomy is thought to conflict with other ethical obligation. Jean was given the opportunity to understand and evaluate what was being asked and was provided with all relevant information to support their decision making process.
There were specific situations that led to the cause of Julie Thao's actions of medication error and the death of Jasmine. The situation could have completely been avoided had Julie followed the code of ethics and avoided shorts to provide proper care for the patient. The state claimed that Thao's mistake was caused by actions, omissions and unapproved shortcuts, however, there were other factors that played a role in her carelessness as well. While failure to comply with procedure has been a factor in the medication administration error, other factors contributed as well. For example, failure to properly use the information system, or to ignore alerts or warnings have also resulted in preventable errors (Nelson, Evan, & Gardener, 2005).
It It f It frustrates me what Dr. Anna Pou had to go through with the lawsuits of the Memorial Medical Center incident. As Healthcare professionals, being sued for making the rightful decision for the patient and the hospital is unjust. Healthcare professionals like Dr. Pou, have taken the Hippocratic oath, and one of the promises made within that oath is “first, do no harm”. Hospital’s should not be so quick to make such an important decision of pressing charges to their faculty; more trust should be placed in them. In addition, she made it clear her intentions were just to ‘‘help’’ patients ‘‘through their pain,’’ on national television.
Missed identification of shock symptoms in Ms. Gadner 2. IV infiltration being missed resulting in her not receiving fluid ordered 3. “Scanty documentation” depriving the physician of information on Ms. Gadner’s current condition 4. Administration of valium and morphine, contraindicated in shock, nursing not questioning the order 5. Didn’t communicate need for transfer to Dr. Dick.
If we as nurses respect the confidentiality of a patient, we should do so for all the patients. However, Griffith (2007) argues that the duty of confidence should not be absolute and nurses should always consider sharing information if required. Though the principle of respecting patient autonomy and their right to confidentiality is broken here, the principle of beneficence and non-maleficence is uphold. Nurses have an obligation to protect patient’s confidentiality but the duty to warn an innocent party of imminent harm is far more critical. Therefore, breaking confidentiality here is potentially doing more good than
This, in turn, lead to the incidental disclosure of Joseph Stevens’ health information. To help prevent this mistake in the future, Sue and the compliance officer should work together to institute training that educates employees on incidental disclosure and how to minimize the occurrence. Another aspect of this mistake, is that Sue did nothing to dissuade the nurse from continuing the discussion in front of the patient and in a public space. Sue should have invited the nurse to come to her office
The practice of health care includes many scenarios that have to do with making adequate decisions when it comes to a patient’s life, and the way they are treated. Having an ethical code in all health care organizations is very important, because it helps health care workers with reaching a suited and ethical decision when it comes to the patient. In health care, patient will always be put first, and their autonomy will always be respected. Nevertheless, when there is a situation where a patient might be in harm, or might be making their condition worse because of the decisions they made. Health care workers will always be there to
The negligence demonstrated in withholding treatment shows that the hospital staff’s inaction is below the expected standard. It may also cause the patient’s condition deteriorate (Hope, Savulescu, & Hendrick,
Being formed in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights helps recognize “the inherent dignity” and the “equal and unalienable rights of all members of the human family”. Based on this very concept of the person, and the fundamental dignity and equality of all human beings, that the notion of patient rights was developed. Patient rights involve those basic rules of conduct between patients and medical caregivers as well as the institutions and people that support them. A patient is anyone who has requested to be evaluated by or who is being evaluated by any healthcare professional.