Question

The nurse is mentoring a new nursing employee in an acute care facility. The new employee needs to access a patient's electronic health record (EHR) to retrieve laboratory results, but has not yet received a computer password. What action should the preceptor take?

Answer 1

A nurse preceptor must follow the healthcare facility's protocols by not sharing their login credentials with the new employee and should contact IT or find an alternative method to access the EHR within policy guidelines.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the scenario where a new nursing employee needs to access a patient's electronic health record (EHR) but does not have a computer password, the appropriate action for the nurse preceptor is to assist them in following the facility's protocol for accessing the EHR securely. The preceptor should never share their own login credentials as it violates patient confidentiality and the facility's security policies. Instead, they should contact the IT department to expedite the process of obtaining a password for the new employee or find an alternative way to access the required information within the policies of the healthcare facility. In the interim, the preceptor may access the EHR using their own credentials and review the necessary information with the new employee without compromising security protocols.