During my clinical placement, I encountered a situation where a woman claiming to be a patient’s daughter expressed concern about her father’s health. She requested to speak to the doctor in charge of his care. However, when I checked the patient’s file, I found out that the woman was not listed as the patient’s next of kin.
I explained to her that only those designated as next of kin could access medical information, but unfortunately, the doctors had left for the day. Consequently, she was not satisfied with my response and requested to speak to a higher authority.
After discussing the matter with the nurse in charge, we asked the patient if we could share information about his condition with his daughter. However, the patient declined, stating that he did not want any contact with her due to her ulterior motives. The nurse assured him that his information would remain confidential and spoke to the woman on the phone, explaining that no patient on the ward had nominated her as their next of kin. Therefore, she could not continue the conversation.
As healthcare professionals, we are legally obligated to maintain patients’ confidentiality and protect their sensitive data. Maintaining confidentiality is so important because it helps build trust and fosters a positive relationship between patients and professionals. Patients share confidential information to receive appropriate treatment and advice, and if this data is improperly disclosed, it could put them at risk. Hence, confidentiality must be respected to protect patients’ well-being and maintain society’s trust in the healthcare professional-patient relationship. Patients may hesitate to reveal information if confidentiality is breached, affecting their treatment choices and putting them at risk. Additionally, privacy breaches have legal implications, so healthcare professionals must maintain confidentiality.
In conclusion, safety is essential in healthcare, and patients should receive treatment in a safe environment, free from harm. Maintaining patient confidentiality and secure data storage contributes to safety, as demonstrated in this instance.