Question

The nursing student leaves a copy of a pt's Kardex on a bedside table. A visitor finds copy and reads it. What should the student do?

1. take kardex out of pt's room and shred it
2. apologize to visitor and pt and explain the info on the Kardex
3. obtain copy of Kardex and check for pt identifiers
4. retrieve Kardex, contact instructor, complete an incident report

Answer 1

If a nursing student leaves a copy of a patient's Kardex on a bedside table and a visitor finds it and reads it, the student should retrieve the Kardex, contact their instructor, and complete an incident report. This situation is a breach of patient confidentiality and privacy.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a nursing student leaves a copy of a patient's Kardex on a bedside table and a visitor finds it and reads it, the student should retrieve the Kardex, contact their instructor, and complete an incident report. This situation is a breach of patient confidentiality and privacy, as the visitor is not authorized to access the patient's medical information.

Taking the Kardex out of the patient's room and shredding it may not be sufficient in addressing the issue. Apologizing to the visitor and patient and explaining the information on the Kardex is important, but it should be done in conjunction with retrieving the document and reporting the incident.

Obtaining a copy of the Kardex and checking for patient identifiers is also necessary, as it helps in identifying the extent of the breach and potential harm caused to the patient's privacy.