![]() The second scenario is the disciplinary action from the Board which may result in the cancellation of her license. Since the information disclosed is sensitive, she can be sued for invasion of privacy and has to pay damages when proven guilty. For the first likely scenario, the nurse can be held liable for releasing unauthorized information with a case on breach of confidentiality. Three potential effects of her action are filing of civil suits against her and her employer, disciplinary action by the State Board of Nursing, and even job loss (Killion & Dempski, 2006). ![]() Since patient’s privacy is protected by law, the nurse faces several ethical and even legal consequences. With this act, the patient would feel the nurse had betrayed her trust. When the nurse in the ER episode opted to divulge the health information of Andrea, she broke her promise to the patient and this is a clear example of a breach of confidentiality. Ethical implications of breach of confidentiality The breach of confidentiality results in loss of patient trust but such action can gain access to cancer treatment leading to a prolonged life. The two competing values were upholding patient confidentiality versus access to cancer treatment. Such a situation is illustrated in an episode in NBC’s ER (2000), where a nurse had to break her promise of confidentiality to Andrea, a teenage patient diagnosed with cervical cancer. She/he has to make a decision between two competing values. There are instances in every nurse’s professional career when he/she nurse is faced with an ethical dilemma. ![]() Since their job entails access to and collection of sensitive personal information, a nurse “holds in confidence personal information and uses judgment in sharing this information” (ICN, 2012, p.2). Their work entails immediate and direct contact with patients and they are expected to protect patients’ rights. Nurses are mandated by their Professional Code of Ethics to provide the highest standards of health care service. The patient’s welfare is the priority of health care providers. Nurses must uphold patient confidentiality at all times except in cases when withholding protected information would result in the patient’s death or cause severe harm to other people.
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