Confidentiality is one of the most important qualities of a relationship, whether it be personal or professional. This term means that any information that is received from the patient, either verbally or through medical records, will be kept strictly confident within the team of healthcare providers. This information can include (but are not limited to) factors such as age, sex, race, religion, marital status, health conditions, insurance information and any other health-related information.
Being able to confide in someone else is crucial at different points in our lives. Health practitioners such as nurses and doctors are required to abide by certain rules regarding confidentiality because it is key to a successful relationship between practitioner and patient. The patient must be able to fully trust that the information they discuss with their caregivers will not be shared with other people or organizations without their full consent. Breaking this rule can not only lead to overall embarrassment, but can sometimes trigger life-changing events. Besides the negative effects it may have on a patient’s life, disregarding confidentiality is unlawful and uncalled for. Breaches of confidentiality can result in unnecessary lawsuits for the healthcare providers. Being familiar with the rules and regulations can prevent such occurrences. This is why it is essential to teach upcoming health practitioners the importance of confidentiality in the workplace. The only time a breach of confidentiality is acceptable is if the withholding of information could potentially cause the patient harm or poses some other threat to the patient’s life.
Use your promo and get a custom paper on
"Confidentiality Narrative".
Confidentiality is also critical to everyday relationships outside of the health industry. I have personally learned some valuable lessons regarding this quality in my life. One example is the time I almost broke confidentiality. During my senior year in high school, a certain mystery began to flood the halls. A popular and well-known girl suddenly disappeared from the school. Her absences did not go unnoticed because she was well-liked by everyone and her boyfriend was a handsome college freshman. She was also a very bright student who was applying for prestigious colleges. Rumors began to spread that attempted to explain her sudden disappearance. Some students said that her father got a promotion and that they were moving to a bigger house in a different school district. Others said that she got cancer, became pregnant, or dropped out.
Later in the year, I was able to obtain an internship at a local hospital. Turning down the long scenic road that led to the hospital, I was both excited and nervous, not knowing what to expect. After parking, I took a deep breath and left my car. Entering through the sliding glass doors, I was greeted with a smile by the secretary who directed me to the elevator. Nurses helped me to obtain scrubs to wear and I was suited up and ready to go.
It didn’t take me too long to get the hang of things at the hospital. I worked under a doctor on the L and D floors. I was privileged enough to work side-by-side with him, following him to C-sections, deliveries, patient check-ups and more. I had access to all of my doctor’s patients’ files. Through the course of my training, I began learning a lot about working in a professional health-related environment. Meanwhile, rumors about the missing girl at school continued to spread.
One day, I came across a patient’s file that had the same last name as the girl at my high school. Curious, I asked the doctor the patient’s first name, immediately confirming that this file belonged to the missing girl. I felt like a detective solving an important mystery. I opened the file and began to scan its contents. Sure enough, she was pregnant and would be having a baby very soon. Thrilled that I had found the truth about my school’s biggest mystery, I quickly picked up my phone and began to text my friends what I had found out.
However, just as I was about to press send, I remembered the contract that I had signed regarding patient confidentiality. I knew that no matter how much I wanted to share the news with my friends I would not be able to do so. After giving it more thought, I realized it would have been incredibly disrespectful for me to have sent the message because it would likely result in extreme embarrassment for the girl.
Reflecting on this story always helps me to remember how crucial a quality like confidentiality can be. Whether in or out of the workplace, it is extremely important to hold confidentiality in high regard. As in the case with my experience, sharing personal information about a friend or a patient can lead to overall embarrassment and can lead to many other devastating consequences.
Though it may cause some emotional strain in a personal relationship, keeping confidentiality in a medical environment is even more important because it can potentially be detrimental to a patient’s health. It is crucial that a patient feels that they are capable of sharing all kinds of information with their doctor or nurse regarding their health. This can include information about reproduction, sexuality, and psychiatric health concerns, among others. Information like these examples can sometimes be stigmatizing and embarrassing for the patient to share with their medical practitioner, but it very important that they feel they can be open about these scenarios. Granting the patient confidentiality by respecting their privacy can create a trusting environment that the patient feels comfortable in. This way, they can be open to being as honest as possible with their physician, regardless of any embarrassing factors that may arise. Breaking confidentiality could possibly lead to mistrust within the medical environment, causing the patient to be less likely to share sensitive information. This could negatively impact the care that they receive overall, and could, in fact, lead to detrimental health consequences. Overall, it is important to always remember just how crucial the quality of confidentiality can be.
