During a health assessment the patient asks the nurse, "Why do you need all this health information and who is going to see it?" What is the nurse's best response?

Question

A) Please do not worry. It is safe and will be used only to help us with your care. It allows access to a wide variety of people who need to know your health information.
B) It is good you asked and you have a right to know; your information helps us to provide you with the best possible care, and your records are in a secure place.
C) Your health information is placed on Web sites to provide easy access to anyone wishing to see your medical records, which is a great way to offer other people your information.
D) Health information becomes the property of the hospital and we will make sure that no one sees it. Then, in 2 years, we destroy all records and the process starts over.

Answer 1

Ans: B
Feedback: Whenever information is elicited from a person through a health history or physical examination, the person has the right to know why the information is sought and how it will be used. For this reason, it is important to explain what the history and physical examination are, how the information will be obtained, and how it will be used. Medical records allow access to health care providers who need the information to provide patients with the best possible care, and the records are always held in a secure environment. Option A is incorrect because telling the patient "not to worry" minimizes the patient's concern regarding the safety of his health information and "a wide variety of people" should not have access to patients' health information. Option C is incorrect; health information should not be placed on Web sites. Option D is incorrect; health records are not destroyed every 2 years.