Oregon Certified Nursing Assistant State Practice Exam

For nursing students, confidentiality means?

1. Not telling the nurse about possible abuse of a resident

2. Not documenting resident problems

3. Keeping resident information private

4. Sharing resident information with the NAs family

The correct answer is: Keeping resident information private

Keeping resident information private is a fundamental principle of confidentiality in healthcare. This means that all personal and medical information pertaining to residents must be protected and only shared with authorized individuals who are involved in their care. Respecting this confidentiality helps to build trust between residents and healthcare providers, ensures compliance with legal standards such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), and protects residents' rights to privacy. For nursing students and certified nursing assistants, understanding the importance of maintaining confidentiality helps safeguard sensitive information and promotes a respectful and secure healthcare environment. This principle emphasizes that any information learned through the course of providing care must be handled discreetly, only shared when necessary for the resident's treatment, and never disclosed to unauthorized individuals.