Data encompass structured ideas and facts that can be used to generate important information capable of being communicated and interpreted in a series of processes. Data integrity refers to an important element of information security and can be defined as the consistency and accuracy of stored data in a database or other sources. In nursing, the integrity of data is vital, especially if it concerns patients’ medical progress. Messing with the integrity of patient data could have adverse effects on patient outcomes. The nature of data in any medical environment is confidential as it could relate to the progression of patients’ treatment. It is, therefore, important that legality and ethics direct data. Currently, the Electronic Health Records (EHRs) have revolutionized the medical field in safeguarding patient data and ensuring data accuracy, reliability, legitimacy, and ethically accepted data storage and retrieval processes (Ajami & Bagheri-Tadi, 2013). The purpose of this paper is to emphasize important issues in data integrity as well as its legal and ethical implications regarding current technology.
Important Aspects of Data Integrity
Nursing is a profession that focuses on caring for patients to lead quality lives through maintaining optimal health of the patients. Additionally, nurses are charged with the obligation of safeguarding their patients’ information. Consequently, knowledge of handling data is vital to ensuring quality healthcare services. The knowledge gathered from this topic provides the basis of a good rapport with nurses, their patients, and other stakeholders in the medical field. As a nurse, I will be able to apply this knowledge in guaranteeing the accuracy and confidentiality of any medical data, which will enhance the confidence of patients in the healthcare system.
The Legitimacy of Data Integrity
Nurses have a legal responsibility to observe and adhere to professional codes of ethics in nursing practice. Without professionalism, medical data and information can be compromised (Al Ameen, Liu, & Kwak, 2012). Various legislations have been put in place to curb malpractices in healthcare facilities with the objective of making the information confidential and only accessible to authorized personnel. Without regulations on data handling, the integrity and privacy of patients’ data are at risk. Governments, through concerned authorities in the healthcare field, have also advanced legislation to safeguard information. One notable way has been through mandating the use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) systems.
Ethical Concerns on Data Integrity
Many researchers have tried to address the ethical concerns on data integrity. The question of whether certain data should be shared or not is dependent on the nature of the data, the parties involved, and the relevance of the data (Coppieters & Levêque, 2013). Sharing confidential data with unauthorized persons is unethical and such actions are considered a breach of professional entitlement. The Nightingale oath prescribes that nurses should safeguard the confidentiality of any information at their disposal. The healthcare sector is one of the fields where adherence to the codes of conduct should never be compromised. Patients should always be treated with dignity without compromising their privacy. Patients’ free will is another ethical implication of data integrity. Patients should have informed consent regarding the handling of information concerning their health.
Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
Electronic Health Records (EHRs) serve as a perfect example of the use of technology to smooth the process of data storage and management. For example, EHRs, have different data segments that are password-protected to limit access. As a result, only authorized personnel can access and modify certain parts of patient data. This feature of data integrity and legislation has helped to address many questions concerning ethical issues surrounding health information (Sittig & Singh, 2012). Additional features of EHRs such as clinical decision support tools have also improved the accuracy of nurses’ decisions and the resultant patient outcomes.
Personal Experiences and Impacts of Data Integrity
As a practicing nurse, one of my game-changing experiences on data integrity was a case of a pregnant woman who came to our healthcare facility. After the prenatal testing, I confirmed that the woman was rhesus negative with blood group O. Without prompt medical attention, her state could be detrimental to her growing child if it turned out that the child could be rhesus positive. Therefore, I contacted her husband and asked him to come for blood group testing to determine the possibility of a rhesus positive baby. It turned out that the husband was a rhesus positive. Treatment commenced immediately following this diagnosis. Under normal circumstances, medical providers ought to maintain patient-provider confidentiality. However, there exist exceptions to this rule. For example, in this case, it was necessary to share this information with the patient’s husband to safeguard the well-being of their unborn child. The positive aspect of information disclosure to the husband was that necessary tests were conducted thus saving the life of the baby. However, the negative aspect of this disclosure of information was that it led to undue anxiety on the husband, which could have been avoided.
Conclusion
Data integrity and its legal and ethical implications is a wide topic that grows every day with the advancement of technology. The purpose of this paper was to inform nursing professionals about the legal and ethical requirements surrounding the handling of sensitive data and maintaining the confidentiality of patient data. It is evident that the proper use of electronic health records enhances these attempts. It is also apparent that rules governing the privacy and confidentiality of patient data may have exceptions in instances where the wellbeing of the patient is at stake. The knowledge gathered in this study will influence my nursing practice by ensuring that I guarantee the security of data belonging to patients and other stakeholders in the healthcare industry.
References
Ajami, S., & Bagheri-Tadi, T. (2013). Barriers to adopting electronic health records (EHRs) by physicians. Acta Informatica Medica, 21(2), 129.
Al Ameen, M., Liu, J., & Kwak, K. (2012). Security and privacy issues in wireless sensor networks for healthcare applications. Journal of Medical Systems, 36(1), 93-101.
Coppieters, Y., & Levêque, A. (2013). Ethics, privacy and the legal framework governing medical data: opportunities or threats for biomedical and public health research? Archives of Public Health, 71(1), 15-15. Web.
Sittig, D. F., & Singh, H. (2012). Electronic Health Records and National Patient-Safety Goals. The New England Journal of Medicine, 367(19), 1854.