Scenario 1
The use of social media has continued to rise especially amongst the young generation. Social media has it is positive effects for instance connecting family and friends who may be living in different parts of the world, as well as promoting health initiatives through different campaigns. On the opposite, social media can have a negative effect, especially in this scenario because what starts off as ‘venting’ ends up breaching patient information. Although the nurse does not necessarily mention the patient’s name, revealing the patient’s diagnosis, weight, and location puts the patient at a higher risk of their health information being revealed, especially if the nurse’s job is listed on her social media profile. In a study performed on social media usage, new nurses revealed that they had trouble distinguishing what is acceptable to post on social media. (Barnable, 2018). As mentioned earlier, this nurse may have thought that her post was innocent, but was not and will need guidance on what is acceptable .
Scenario 2
This is an interesting scenario as the educator is trying to have a visual aide for her presentation. Unfortunately without consent from the patient to use pictures of the patient’s lesions, this educator was not part of the treatment team providing direct care to the patient, the educator was not part of the treatment team providing direct care to the patient, the educator did not have a right to access these records. therefore it becomes a HIPPA violation. Although the lesions may not reveal the patient’s identity, sharing this information violates the patient’s privacy rights. (Lambre, 2020)
Scenario 3
Having worked in a long-term facility, I can visualize this scenario playing out. The residents at the long-term care facilities consider the facility as their home, and may not have a family member at the bedside in the hospital to take care of the patient, and the facility may feel that they need to ‘check’ on the resident. Unfortunately, if the charge nurse is not designated to receive or give information on these residents, then she is in breach of patient confidentiality. In this scenario, the nurse may not think it is a breach of confidentiality (Finch, 2019), but unfortunately, it is and should wait for the hospital to call and give a proper handoff of the resident before they return to the facility.