A nurse practitioner in the ED was treating an elderly woman for shortness of breath began to look for the cause of her worsening condition. She ordered a drug screen, on which she tested positive for cocaine. Her family. including her adult children, were present in the ED with her. The NP asked the patient about the findings in the exam room and the patient told her that she had no idea how cocaine could be in her system, which made the NP concerned she might be a victim of abuse. One of the nurses involved in her care Googled her and discovered that she had a previous police record for cocaine possession. The nurse emailed the NP the information about the patient. The nurse also called social services and the family
overheard her discussing this patient on the phone in a public area.
- Identify 2 HIPAA violation in the case.
- Provide two possible outcomes in terms of the ethical dilemmas.
- What leadership behaviors are essential to this case?
Sample Solution
