01-16-2008, 07:03 AM
The correct answer is C. The general rule is that patient's confidentiality is to be respected at all times. This means that no medical procedure, including laboratory tests, can be run on a patient without his or her consent. There is one exception: threat of harm to self or others. The guidelines of the American Medical Association explicitly state that the exception applies in this case. The nurse may be at risk. If the patient is HIV-positive, treating her quickly greatly reduces the chance of becoming HIV-positive and increases her life span should she become HIV-positive.
The nurse has a right to treatment and the right to know if she needs treatment. She needs more than reassurances (choice A). She needs the test performed to know the patient's HIV status.
This is an escalation that breaks the confidentiality of both the patient and the nurse. Simply running the screening test constitutes much less of a breach than initiating a general discussion with in the hospital staff (choice B).
Knowing that the patient is homosexual already places him in one of the high-risk groups. It is unlikely that reviewing the medical chart (choice D) will produce information that would obviate the need for HIV testing.
Because of the threat of harm clause, the patient's permission is not required <B>(choices E and F).
The nurse has a right to treatment and the right to know if she needs treatment. She needs more than reassurances (choice A). She needs the test performed to know the patient's HIV status.
This is an escalation that breaks the confidentiality of both the patient and the nurse. Simply running the screening test constitutes much less of a breach than initiating a general discussion with in the hospital staff (choice B).
Knowing that the patient is homosexual already places him in one of the high-risk groups. It is unlikely that reviewing the medical chart (choice D) will produce information that would obviate the need for HIV testing.
Because of the threat of harm clause, the patient's permission is not required <B>(choices E and F).