All clinical affiliates and client records are confidential in nature. Students are expected to maintain the confidentiality of all hospital records in a professional manner. Students are only allowed to access client records that they are assigned and/or have been given permission by the clinical instructor. If a student is found guilty of willfully violating client confidentiality, he or she will be recommended for program dismissal and could be disciplined by the clinical institution.
The College acknowledges that clinical affiliates, as health care providers, are subject to the provisions of HIPAA, a federal statute which, in part, governs disclosures and uses of “protected health information (“PHI”). PHI is defined in 45 C.F.R. § 164.501 and includes health information received or created by a health care provider that relates to the “past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition of an individual; the provision of health care to an individual; or the past, present or future payment for the provision of health care . . . and identifies the individual or with respect to which there is a reasonable basis to believe the information can be used to identify the individual.
Clinical affiliates shall have the right to educate each student on the proper uses and disclosures of PHI. Clinical affiliates shall have the right to require each Participant to sign a written confidentiality agreement. Any failure on the part of the student to abide by the requirements of HIPAA or agency procedures and procedures implementing HIPAA shall constitute a material breach of this agreement and can be grounds for dismissal from the Nursing Program. Maintaining confidentiality of this information is the direct responsibility of each student with clinical privileges. This includes social networks (see social networking policy). Each student will complete individual site requirements as needed.