Withholding Information and Informing other Healthcare workers
Your nurse friend has consistently been asking questions concerning your patient. They, however, are not in the patient's circle of care. How would you respond to this situation?
Do not share the information. As a nurse, you have to respect your client's privacy and dignity and sharing information to another nurse that is not in the circle of care will negatively impact your relationship with that client. You can refuse her nicely but in the cases where she does not stop asking then you must inform your manager on your friend's behavior.
According to the presentation, how many key phases are there in delivering bad news and what are they?
There are 3 phases:
Before the communication, during the communication, after the communication
What type of data can nurses share with the public without revealing individual identities?
A. Confidential reports
B. Personal Health records
C. Aggregate or statistical data
D. Case notes with names removed
C. Aggregate or Statistical data
A client is alert, oriented, and says, “Can you please update my sister on my test results?”. When is it appropriate for the nurse to share the client’s information?
A) Only if the sister is a healthcare worker
B) Only during visiting hours
C) When the client has given clear consent
D) If the nurse believes it would help
C – When the client has given clear consent
What principles (in the code of conduct) do we, as nurses, break when we withhold information from our patients?
1st principle: nurses respect client's dignity
3rd principle: nurses provide safe and competent care
If nurses provide incorrect or incomplete information when delivering a terminal diagnosis, they may be held legally accountable.
True or False
True
What must be removed from case data before using it for research or educational purposes?
A. Only the patient's name
B. Diagnoses
C. All personal identities such as names, addresses and unique characteristics.
D. Treatment Plans
C. All personal identities such as names, addresses and unique characteristics.
A client’s partner appears confused as the nurse explains the discharge plan using medical terms. What should the nurse do next?
A) Continue the explanation to maintain professionalism
B) Ask another nurse to explain it
C) Switch to simple, clear language without medical jargon
D) Tell the client to explain it later
C – Switch to simple, clear language without medical jargon
It is the 1850's where mental health is still taboo and not appropriately treated. You are a doctor and you realise that your 39-year-old patient is suffering from schizophrenia. You can tell the patient about this information but if words leak out the patient may be forced to go into a mental institution (which may worsen the patient's mental) or keep the information to yourself and send the patient home. What do you do and is your action legally acceptable?
Whether you choose to keep or tell the information, your actions would still be legal. Before the 1960s, doctors could withhold information if it protected the patient from further harm. Of course, It is important to tell your patients everything as they deserve to know the truth and have a choice in how they want to be treated. Hiding any information may jeopardize the patient's health even further and lead to an even worse outcome than you anticipated.
You're a nurse and your patient has just received test results confirming a terminal illness. The doctor asks you to inform the patient and their family. When you enter the room, the patient is alone and appears drowsy from medication and you know the patient's family will arrive in 30 mins.
What is the most appropriate action based on the best practices in timing and communication?
A. Deliver the news immediately since the doctor instructed you to do so.
B. Wake the patient fully and proceed with the explanation so they can hear it directly.
C. Wait until the patient is more alert and the family arrives, then ensure the setting is private before delivering the news.
D. Ask another staff member to deliver the news instead since the situation is uncomfortable.
C. Wait until the patient is more alert and the family arrives, then ensure the setting is private before delivering the news.
What guidelines must nurses follow to ensure ethical and confidential information sharing?
A. Hospital gossip policies.
B. Supervisor preferences.
C. Institutional or organizational policies and professional codes of ethics.
D. None, if intentions are good.
C. Institutional or organizational policies and professional codes of ethics.
Throughout a hospital stay, the nurse consistently involves the client and family, respects consent boundaries, and communicates clearly. What long-term outcome does this approach help achieve?
A) Less documentation
B) Higher medication compliance
C) Greater trust and family engagement
D) Faster hospital discharge
Greater trust and family engagement