Undergraduate Programme Handbook Aug 2013
CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY Confidentiality forms an integral part of nursing and midwifery practice. Breaches of confidentiality can become a disciplinary matter where such breaches involve disclosing information relating to patient/client care or institutional information. However, breaches may also occur within the academic component of the nursing and midwifery programmes and require to be dealt with appropriately. It is extremely important that confidentiality of information related to patients/clients, relatives and institutions is maintained at all times. Where a breach of confidentiality occurs, the assignment marker will judge the seriousness of this and apply the appropriate penalty as laid down in the School confidentiality policy. Penalties applied may range from a comment being made regarding a minor breach to a zero grade where a major breach is identified. Where a major breach of confidentiality is identified as being of malicious intent, it may be necessary to deal with these both in the school via the Fitness to Practice Policy and separately through the relevant NHS Directorate or practice learning environment colleagues with the knowledge of the student or students involved. This policy includes work related to the following: ? ? ? ?
My Dundee – discussion board postings and electronic submissions
Assignments, for example essays, care studies, critical incident analyses, organisational analyses Portfolios of evidence and work-based learning Social Networking sites and chat rooms
Examples of breaches Patient information:
? ? ? ?
Personal information that identifies the person Patient notes Nursing and medical charts which identify the individual Discussion on social networking site or in chat room
Institutional information: ? ? ? ? ? Use of headed notepaper Inclusion of patient records Identification of place of work or practice learning environment Inclusion of information that identifies staff such as name or specific and unique job titles identifiable within the context provided Discussion on social networking site or chat room
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