Disclosing a Diagnosis to Family Without Consent: HIPAA

Legal & Ethical Issues · Question from the ATI RN Leadership 2023 Proctored Exam study set

Correct answer: HIPAA

Why this is the answer

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects patient privacy and prohibits sharing medical info without consent.

The bigger concept

HIPAA questions hinge on one word: consent. Protected health information can be shared with anyone the patient designates and with the care team on a need-to-know basis, but a family relationship alone grants no right to information. Autonomy, beneficence, and veracity are ethical principles; HIPAA is the federal law, and when the stem describes an information leak the legal answer is the one being tested. Practical safeguards: confirm the patient's authorized contacts, use privacy codes, and never discuss cases in elevators or hallways.

Related Legal & Ethical Issues practice questions

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• Who Can Legally Give Informed Consent for Surgery
• Giving a Medication the Patient Refused: Battery
• Pressure Injury From Failing to Turn a Patient: Malpractice

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