The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the professional regulatory body for nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom. As such, it has a number of codes of conduct that outline the ethical and professional standards that nurses and midwives must adhere to in their practice. One of these codes of conduct is the requirement for confidentiality, which is a fundamental aspect of the nursing and midwifery profession.
Confidentiality is the duty to keep information about patients private and secure. It is an essential part of the nurse-patient relationship, as it allows patients to trust that their personal and medical information will not be disclosed to anyone without their consent. This is particularly important for patients who may be vulnerable or who may be dealing with sensitive or confidential issues.
The NMC has a number of specific requirements related to confidentiality that nurses and midwives must follow. These include the requirement to:
Obtain the patient's consent before sharing their personal or medical information with anyone else.
Keep patient records confidential and secure.
Not disclose patient information to anyone outside of the healthcare team, unless it is necessary for the patient's care or there is a legal requirement to do so.
Use secure methods of communication, such as encrypted emails or secure messaging systems, when discussing patient information.
Protect patient information from accidental or unauthorized access, such as by locking computer screens when away from the workstation or disposing of paper records securely.
In addition to these specific requirements, the NMC also expects nurses and midwives to use their professional judgement when it comes to confidentiality. This means that they must consider the potential consequences of disclosing patient information and weigh up the potential risks and benefits.
There are some exceptions to the requirement for confidentiality, such as when there is a legal requirement to disclose information (e.g. in cases of child abuse or suspected terrorism) or when there is a risk to the patient or others (e.g. if the patient is suicidal or is a danger to others). In these cases, the nurse or midwife should seek guidance from their supervisor or the relevant authorities.
In conclusion, confidentiality is an essential aspect of nursing and midwifery practice, and nurses and midwives must adhere to the NMC's requirements and use their professional judgement when it comes to maintaining the confidentiality of patient information. By doing so, they can help to build trust and ensure that patients feel safe and supported in their care.
Maintaining Confidentiality For The Nursing And Midwifery...
Retrieved 28 April 2009. Alternatively, her ethical principles may cause tensions that could inhibit the possibility of a smooth pathway in dealings with clients, their families and the wider community. Business Bliss Consultants FZE. It is essential to reflect upon skills knowledge and challenges faced in order to develop into expert nurses Benner,1984 NMC requires every nurse to reflect on their nursing care with their patients, families and other multi- disciplinary teams NMC 2015 Reflection is the progression through which you look at yourself and practice objectively it involves theoretical and analytical of your skills. Retrieved 19 January 2016. Sо іn turn, thе соmmоn dutу lаw оf соnfіdеnсе, thus еnаblеs nursеs tо рrоtесt thеmsеlvеs аnd аlsо thаt оf thеіr раtіеnts оr сlіеnts. Additional information is required from the caller — for example, his name, relationship to Jane, how much information he already knows.
Confidentiality within the NMC (Midwifery)
It is imperative for nurses to comprehend legal aspects such as negligence, duty of care, documentation and confidentiality. The Council ensures that the NMC complies with all relevant legislation, including the Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 and the Charities Act 1993. The NMC duly takes into account the relevant data protection legislation in its guidelines The NMC Guidelines,2004. Registrant members are from a nursing or midwifery background; lay members are selected for their expertise in various fields and strategic experience. The NMC set standards in the code of conduct by monitoring and maintaining standards and register for all nurses and midwives who aim to study in the UK. We provide guidance on social media use in our publication Guidance to Nurses and Midwives on Social Media and Social Networking. These can be modified and possibly change as she engages in education and training activities and as the highs and lows of professional life are experienced.
Discuss the Nurses Duty of Confidentiality
Whistleblowing is when a worker including a student nurse, or student midwife raise a concern about wrong doing in the public interest. Retrieved 14 March 2016. Jasper 2003 describes reflective practice as one of the ways that professionals learn from experience in order to understand and develop their. Conclusion In conclusion the NMC and all professional teams have one goal which is to protect and provide a consistent and high-quality service to patients and the public. Іn sоmе саsеs, раtіеnts mау rеfusе іnрut frоm оthеr mеmbеrs оf stаff, аnd іn thеsе саsеs, thеіr wіshеs аnd рrіvасу must bе rеsресtеd, аs fаіlurе tо аdhеrе tо thеіr wіshеs іs а brеасh оf раtіеnt соnfіdеntіаlіtу.
Confidentiality
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The NMC code states that the information given to nurses in confidence has to be treated only for the purposes for which it was provided The NMC Guidelines on Confidentiality, 2008. The four domains are professional value, communication and interpersonal skills, nursing practice and decision making, and leadership, management and team work respectively. When students successfully complete their programme, their education institution will let the NMC know that they have met the education and practice standards and are of good health and good character. Background Jeremy is a fifty five year old gentlemen who suffers from Motor Neurone Disease MND. The updates include new requirements on the fundamentals of care, the duty of candour, raising concerns and social media use.
NMBI
These standards help to shape the content and design of programmes and state what a registered nurse or midwife needs to know and be able to do. When a patient or client is considered incapable of giving permission, you should consult relevant colleagues, for example a midwifery manager or senior midwife. . There will be times where information about possible child abuse or welfare will need to be shared with parents, law enforcement agencies, school teachers and others. Rеfеrеnсе Lіst: Вrоwn, J. The above are some of the questions to which you might seek answers to arrive at an understanding of the complex issue of disclosure of sensitive, private information from client to practitioner. The Code was updated to reflect changes in healthcare and society since its last publication in 2008.
