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Why looking at patient records is about more than confidentiality
Nursing Standard columnist Jane Bates recalls how, as a young nurse working on Christmas Eve, she cared for a woman of the same age, who was facing possible leg amputation after a crash and whose boyfriend was critically injured. Though concerned about the outcomes for her patient, she never learned what happened to her or her boyfriend, as nursing care is bound by strict confidentiality rules. Despite caring intentions, nursing staff accessing patient records without need is forbidden. The temptation to know is human, but professional boundaries exist to protect patient confidentiality and, without this, public trust in the profession would be compromised, she argues.
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