The Most Important Importance Of Confidentiality In Nursing

Importance of Confidentiality in Nursing In nursing, there is certain set of standards that all nurses are required to uphold. There are many components to these standards, but one of the most important components is confidentiality. The most basic definition of confidentiality is the duty of maintaining privacy and nurses are bound by federal regulations and the code of ethics to uphold and maintain the confidential nature of information they encounter on a daily basis (Nursing Code of Ethics, 2011). The Denver School of Nursing Student Handbook, The American Nurses Association Nursing Code of Ethics and The Privacy Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) not only address the component of confidentiality but

As a future nurse, I have come to accept and appreciate that as a professional I am bound by the duty to uphold confidentiality and to always act with integrity. When working with a patient population trust and respect are not so readily given, but must be earned. Patients must been shown that our actions match our words, that we respect the information they choose to share with us and that we will indeed keep information that does not need to be shared with any other member of the healthcare team private. By doing so we instill trust in our patients and this allows us to provide an overall better level of care. This shows that there is a certain level of integrity in our thoughts and that we strive to maintain integrity in the values of the nursing profession. There will be times when our personal or professional values may be questioned but I have learned that it is important to stand up for what you believe in, to advocate for yourself as well and as much as you would advocate for your patient. To compromise when necessary, but to ensure that the compromise does not compromise your personal or professional values and above all else always comply with the ethical standards that have been set by the Nurses Code of