A mental health nurse answers the phone. A police officer asks if a patient is still being treated on the unit, and the nurse tells the officer that the patient was discharged. Which of the following is correct regarding the nurse's response?

The response was a breach of patient confidentiality.

Explanation

• The nurse breached the patient's confidentiality. The nurse must advocate for the patient and protect their confidentiality at all times, even when interacting with police officers.

• According to HIPAA, the only time a nurse may provide private health information (PHI) to law enforcement is when reporting an injury like a gunshot or stab wound or in response to a court order, warrant, or subpoena.

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