Question

The nurse faxes a patient's medical record to an unknown number. Which law is the nurse violating?

a) The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)

b) The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

c) The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH)

d) The Joint Commission Act (TJC)

Answer 1

The nurse is violating HIPAA by faxing a patient’s medical record to an unknown number, which is against the national standards for privacy and security of health information.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse who faxes a patient’s medical record to an unknown number is violating The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HIPAA, enacted in 1996, establishes national standards for the privacy and security of health information. By sending such sensitive information to an unknown recipient, the nurse risks the unauthorized disclosure of the patient’s health records, which is a clear breach of HIPAA's rules designed to protect patient privacy. Additionally, this could potentially lead to legal consequences for the healthcare provider.