Privacy is an aspect of personal information that is legislated at a federal and provincial level. At its core, personal information implies any data that can identify an individual, such as medical history.1 Patients have a right to control their own information based on what the law permits or requires. Maintaining confidentiality is an aspect of privacy and consists...
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Technological advancement in the healthcare field, as well as the increase in virtual care or telepractice, has helped patients access safer, faster and more specialized care than ever before. However, these developments have also given rise to a multitude of new privacy issues, concerning loss of and unauthorized access to, use, and disclosure of a...
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This article was published in April 2022 and reflects information current at the time of publication. Question 1: Are there specific privacy and confidentiality considerations an Occupational Health Nurse (OHN) should contemplate before disclosing COVID-19 vaccination statuses? Answer: Health care professionals and OHNs particularly, are already familiar with the professional and ethical obligations that require...
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Table of Contents Which services do you plan to provide? Business Structure Informed Consent Documentation, Confidentiality, and Disclosure Contracts Professional Liability Protection Business Insurance Key Takeaways Nurses in independent practice are self-employed and may provide professional nursing services in a variety of ways, whether it be as an individual, in partnership with other self-employed healthcare...
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Executive Assistant Permanent, full-time position ABOUT US The Canadian Nurses Protective Society (CNPS) provides legal advice, risk management services, legal assistance and professional liability protection related to nursing practice to over 150,000 eligible Canadian nurses across all Canadian provinces and territories. A non-profit legal support system created by nurses for nurses, the CNPS is specifically...
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Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, health-care professionals across Canada united to provide Canadians infected with COVID-19 with safe, accessible, and timely medical attention. The result was an acceleration of the adoption and proliferation of virtual care practices. Virtual care services often include services such as videoconferencing, virtual care apps, messaging apps, and telephone services. These services...
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Occupational health nurses (OHNs) deliver a variety of healthcare services in their workplace. Some areas of concern specific to occupational health nursing (OH nursing) are: Legislation Provincial, territorial, and federal legislation affecting OH nursing includes law governing occupational health and safety, workers’ compensation, employment and labour relations, and privacy. The employer must ensure compliance with...
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Question : I am a nurse who is employed at a primary care clinic. I have recently become aware that the parents of a 10-year-old patient have divorced. The father is now requesting a copy of the child’s health records. Is he entitled to receive a copy of the records? What should I do? Answer: ...
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Hand-held devices can be useful tools for nurses and other health-care practitioners. They can be used to communicate about patient care in certain circumstances as long as the right security measures are in place to ensure patient confidentiality. However, when used for a personal purpose, hand-held devices can also distract from the provision of care....
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Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Tik Tok, YouTube, and LinkedIn allow us to communicate in real-time with “friends”, “followers” or the public. Nurses may use these sites as research and educational tools, for information sharing and as a way to network or socialize. Understanding the legal considerations involved in using social...
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