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Confidentiality (Policy SON-03)

Download a Printable Version of Policy SON-03

Effective Date

Spring 2006

Last Revision Date

4/1/2022

Responsible Party

Students and faculty enrolled in the School of Nursing.

Scope and Audience

Students enrolled in the School of Nursing.

Additional Authority

N/A

1. Policy Purpose

The School of Nursing adheres to the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics with Interpretive Statements. Students are required to read and sign a Confidentiality Non-Disclosure Statement. The faculty will utilize the following guidelines in the interpretation of confidentiality to determine safe/ethical nursing practice.

2. Policy Statement

A breach of confidentiality includes the following:

  1. Revealing information, including protected health information (PHI), about a client to another person who is not involved with the direct provision of care to the identified client.
  2. Revealing events or partial information about a client or clinical experience to another person (such as a relative or friend) who, by virtue of knowing other information, is then able to identify the client and circumstances being discussed.
  3. Revealing information, including PHI, about a client or clinical situation to other persons involved in that client’s care in an area where the discussion may be overheard by others (such as other health care workers, visitors or client’s family members).
  4. Revealing privileged information about an agency’s performance, personnel or practices.
  5. The use of social networking that breaches any aspect of confidentiality regarding patients or families, agency staff, peers, faculty, etc. Social media use is ubiquitous and inappropriate posts by nurses or student nurses have resulted in licensure and legal repercussions, or dismissal from the School of Nursing. Refer to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing website.
  6. Revealing information about another student, faculty or any agency personnel to another person(s) who is(are) not involved with the clinical or learning situation.
  7. Situations involving poor judgment about the sharing of information about clients or clinical situations (e.g. persons or agencies) constitute unsafe and/or unethical nursing practice. Such situations will be reviewed by the faculty and may be grounds for dismissal from the Nursing Program.

Related Information

BSU: None

CHS: None

SON: Student Expectations in Classroom Clinical and Skills-Lab Settings (Policy SON-07)

Last Review Date

4/1/2022

Revision History

Spring 2006, Spring 2015, 4/1/2022