HIPAA or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is a very important part of patient confidentiality. Nurse’s are part of that confidential ring too.

I’m working on a nursing multi-part question and need an explanation and answer to help me learn.

HIPAA or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is a very important part of patient confidentiality. Nurse’s are part of that confidential ring too. Putting things simply; Privacy is what the patient has chosen to keep to themselves and share with as few people as possible. Confidentiality is the act of keeping what the patient has shared in a confidential manner that leaves it on a need to know for health care. and Security is the obligation to be aware and vigilant that all information shared by a patient is secure in whatever storage you chose to keep it. This is a big responsibility. As a nurse give me an example of a HIPAA challenge with an alcoholic patient. This particular patient has a huge family, all in demial of his challenge. They all feel they have a right to know what is going on.