Which action by a nurse indicates a breach of a patient’s right to privacy?
Explanation & Rationale
Choice A reason: Discussing patient history with staff during care planning is permissible under HIPAA for treatment purposes. It ensures coordinated care within the healthcare team, not violating privacy, as it is limited to professional need-to-know, making this choice incorrect. Choice B reason: Documenting daily behavior is standard practice in medical records for treatment continuity and legal documentation. It is protected under confidentiality laws and does not breach privacy when restricted to authorized personnel, making this choice incorrect for a privacy violation. Choice C reason: Releasing information to an employer without consent violates HIPAA, which mandates patient authorization for disclosures outside treatment, payment, or operations. This breaches confidentiality, compromising the patient’s right to privacy, making this the correct choice for a privacy violation. Choice D reason: Asking family for pre-hospitalization information is appropriate if done with patient consent or legal justification, such as assessing history for treatment. Without evidence of unauthorized disclosure, this does not inherently breach privacy, making this choice incorrect.