Nursing 310: Ethical Conduct and Legalities in Nursing Practice

Topic 4: Ethical Nursing Behaviors, Client Data Protection, Standards, and Legal Proficiency

This topic covers ethical nursing behaviors, protection of client data, professional standards, and legal proficiency, drawing from Chapter 4 of the Boggs textbook and Chapters 6 and 7 of the Black textbook.

Nursing as Regulated Practice & Legal Issues

• Confidentiality: Maintaining the privacy of patient information.
  • ANA Code of Ethics Provision 3.1: States a nurse's duty to maintain confidentiality for all patient information (personal and clinical) in both work settings and off-duty.
  • This duty extends even after a patient is discharged.
  • It now explicitly includes social media and any other forms of communication.
  • Nurse's Responsibility: To provide accurate, relevant data only to members of the healthcare team and others with a