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A patient requests a copy of his medical record. What is the correct response by the nurse?

a. Inform him that his record is the property of the facility and cannot be accessed by anyone but staff.
b. Tell him that the Code for Nurses does not allow you to give him access to his records.
c. Acknowledge that he has the right to have a copy his records, and make arrangements per facility policy.
d. Refer his request to the hospital administrator since all such requests need to go through proper channels.

User ManniAT
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The correct response for a nurse is to acknowledge a patient's right to access their medical records and facilitate the process by following the healthcare facility's policy (Option C).

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct response to a patient requesting a copy of his medical record is to acknowledge that the patient has the right to access his or her health information.

Therefore, the appropriate answer is:

c. Acknowledge that he has the right to have a copy his records, and make arrangements per facility policy.

Nurses need to be aware of patient rights and privacy laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which generally ensures that patients have access to their own medical records.

A nurse should facilitate this process under the healthcare facility's policies, which typically involve filling out a form and sometimes a small fee for the costs of copying and delivering the records.

It is important not to misinform the patient by stating the records are the property of the facility and cannot be accessed (a), incorrectly citing the Code for Nurses as a barrier (b), or unnecessarily involving hospital administration without following the established procedure (d).

Hence, the correct answer is Option C.

User Ddotsenko
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