Final answer:
The nurse should only read charts for a professional reason to maintain patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA and ethical standards. Breaching confidentiality for personal reasons is inappropriate and illegal. Essential policy questions include minimum necessary information sharing, obtaining informed consent, and justifiable breaches of confidentiality. The correct option is 3.
Step-by-step explanation:
Healthcare personnel have an ethical and legal obligation to maintain the confidentiality of patient records. The appropriate action for a nurse is to read charts only for a professional reason, in accordance with patient privacy rights, ethical standards, and legal requirements such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Examples of such professional reasons could include providing necessary patient care or participating in a multidisciplinary team meeting regarding the patient's care plan. Peer curiosity or the desire to protect a friend are not adequate justifications to breach confidentiality; doing so would violate the legal and ethical standards set forth to protect patient privacy.
Understanding that the privacy of health records is a critical concern, policies that balance the costs of treatment and diagnoses, patient quality of life, and privacy risks must address several questions:
- What is the minimum necessary information that healthcare providers can share for treatment without overstepping privacy boundaries?
- How can healthcare providers ensure informed consent before sharing patient information?
- Under what circumstances, if any, can confidentiality be ethically breached in order to prevent harm to third parties?