Review ONE only of the scenarios below and address the points below in a report format:
• Identify the legal and ethical issues raised.
• Identify appropriate legislation for the particular scenario that you are reviewing.
• Identify risk management strategies that can be implemented in order to avoid breaches of confidentiality.
• Identify communication strategies to assist in reducing the risk of confidentiality breaches.
Scenario 1
An employee obtained confidential patient information from the hospital medical records and used this information to visit a former female patient at her home. This was done without invitation. The employee was a male nurse at a public hospital. There was no work related reasons that the employee had for visiting the patient. The employee was subsequently dismissed from employment.
Scenario 2
An employee of a private hospital was having coffee with friends in the hospital café and boasted that she knew of a well-known celebrity who was a current inpatient in the hospital following the birth of her baby,and that she has the power to easily obtain more information. This is overheard by friends and family of the celebrity who are also having a coffee in the café and reported to executive staff in the form of a complaint. The employee was not dismissed but was provided with a warning letter.