Final answer:
The nurses might be charged with breaching patient confidentiality, possibly under HIPAA regulations in the US. Disclosing patient information in public places breaches HIPAA's mandate to protect personal health information.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two nurses discussing a client's condition in an elevator full of visitors might be charged with a crime related to breaching patient confidentiality. This breach could fall under the violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) if it occurred in the United States. HIPAA mandates the protection of personal health information and discussing a patient's condition in a public place can be perceived as a failure to maintain the confidentiality required by the act. In some jurisdictions, this might also be considered a breach of professional conduct codes that could result in disciplinary actions by the regulatory nursing body.