The charge nurse reviews eight uses or disclosures of protected health information. Drag each situation to the appropriate privacy category.
Matrix Multiple Choice
Choose your responses, then check the answer.
Explanation
Relevant information may be shared for treatment and permitted care operations under policy. Disclosures outside treatment, payment, operations, or another legal permission generally require authorization. Curiosity access, visible identifiers in social media content, and unattended printed PHI are privacy or security incidents that must be reported rather than concealed.
Quick answer Ask who needs the information, for what permitted purpose, and through what secure channel.
Why this is correct HIPAA permits information exchange for treatment and certain health-care operations, including care coordination and quality activities, subject to policy and applicable minimum-necessary rules. An employer request or a family member's request does not automatically authorize disclosure. Workforce curiosity access has no care purpose. A visible name on a social media image and a handoff sheet left in public expose PHI and require immediate reporting through the organization's privacy or security process.
NCLEX decision rule Do not solve a privacy problem by deleting evidence or staying silent. Limit access, contain the exposure, and report it promptly.
References
1HHS: HIPAA permitted uses and disclosures
2HHS: Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule
Confidentiality and information securityApply HIPAA treatment and health-care-operations permissions, client authorization requirements, the minimum-necessary principle where applicable, and immediate incident reporting.
Blood Culture — A test to identify organisms in the bloodstream.
Clean-Catch Urine — A urine specimen collected to reduce contamination.
Sputum Specimen — Respiratory secretion specimen used for certain infections such as TB.