Confidentiality:

Nursing students, as members of the nursing profession, must demonstrate respect for the privacy and confidentiality of others.  As the client, often in a vulnerable state, encounters the nurse, the nurse has utmost responsibility to respect the client's right to determine his or her own self-disclosure.  Based upon the belief in the dignity of the human being, each nursing faculty member and student shall maintain the privacy and confidentiality with each human being.

Students that breach patient confidentiality will be liable for damages resulting from the breach and face possible termination from the program. Each student is required to sign and submit the “Student Acknowledgement of Patient Confidentiality” form, located in Appendix C upon entry to the nursing program. This signed form will be kept as part of the student file.

Nursing faculty will provide students with a coding mechanism for clinical assignments that protect patient record information and identity in compliance with Health Information Privacy Protection Act, (HIPPA).