Patient Privacy in Nursing

Introduction

On finding a friend’s phone on the bedside table, you thank your stars and transfer all the photographs into your phone. Thankfully, the phone allows for fast sharing. You then post one of the photos on Facebook.  You add a few details about the patient you are serving at the hospital. You spend the entire morning checking on the post top ensure that it is gathering enough attention.

HIPAA Standards

Being in this position is tempting. It is however a very risky behavior for both the patient and the nurse. It could amount to ethical violation (American Medical Association, 2014). Sharing private information that is identifiable to a patient amounts to HIPAA violation. Violation of HIPAA standards is unprofessional and could lead to effecting of large fines or disruption of tenure (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2014). Both nurses have violated the standards. The first nurse shares the information with a friend. The second places information in the public.

Advantages of Using Social Media in Healthcare

On one hand, social media could be very important in healthcare for various reasons. It enables healthcare personnel to share valuable information with each other and even provide intervention guidelines. Some of the benefits of social media in healthcare include:

• Increased interaction between healthcare providers
• Increased availability, and sharing of information
• Emotional, social, and peer support (Tomes, 2013)

On the other hand, social media could also have disadvantages for health professionals

• Could lead to violation of legal rights of patients
• It cannot be relied upon to provide information that is within required standards
• Information obtained from the internet is often lacking important points (Tomes, 2013).

Recommendations and Conclusion

It is very easy to violate privacy concerns on Social media. This is especially the case when individual whose privacy is being shared is a public figure. Sometimes the question of money may come into the equation. In this case, the nurse (or other professional) may be offered money to provide information about a certain personality to the public. At this point, it is important that such people observe the ethical standards they are expected to adhere to.

References

American Medical Association,. (2014). HIPAA Violations and Enforcement. Retrieved 16 November 2014, from http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/solutions-managing-your-practice/coding-billing-insurance/hipaahealth-insurance-portability-accountability-act/hipaa-violations-enforcement.page?

Tomes, C. (2013). Social media in health care: benefits, harms and the need for good quality evidence. The Lifestyle Elf. Retrieved 16 November 2014, from http://www.thelifestyleelf.net/social-media-in-health-care-benefits-harms-and-the-need-for-good-quality-evidence/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,. (2014). Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule. Retrieved 16 November 2014, from http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/summary/index.html