How to Answer: How do you maintain confidentiality in the workplace?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Entry-Level Nursing job interview.
34. How do you maintain confidentiality in the workplace?
How to Answer
Confidentiality and privacy in health care protect patients and maintain trust between patients, staff, and doctors. It is a way of reducing liability and promoting the quality of care. Everyone learns about HIPAA in nursing school, so reciting a cerebral definition is not necessarily what the interviewer wants here. The interviewer wants to hear your deep understanding of how HIPAA is violated in the workplace by not being mindful and intentional in your practice.
Written by Dianne Barnard on February 15th, 2021
1st Answer Example
"Protecting the patient's right to privacy is extremely important to me. I have a personal practice of checking in with myself to ensure that I have honored that responsibility in practice. I check in with myself a couple of times a shift, especially if I am busy, to ask if I am being mindful and responsible. I like the idea of 'the clean desk.' Did I close out my computer? If I need shift 'cheat sheets,' I am careful not to write patient names on the paper, but maybe their initials. I have the practice of mentally checking out as I leave the unit for lunch in that I don't chat with other nurses about patients in common areas. I am mindful of how my voice carries in a patient room. I always ensure that family members in the room are allowed to hear health information before I ask the patient questions."
Written by Dianne Barnard on February 15th, 2021
2nd Answer Example
"I think maintaining confidentiality in the workplace is fairly easy if I always have patient needs at the forefront of my mind. When I've been on a nursing unit during clinicals or working as a student nurse extern, I never share my EMR passwords with anyone. I lock a computer if I'm leaving it. I don't speak about patients in hallways, elevators, or other public patients. If I speak to someone about a patient, I make sure they are another healthcare team member with a 'need to know' about a patient's care. As a student, I haven't yet spoken to a patient's family or loved one on the phone, but when I am in this situation, I will make sure that I have the correct release of information in place to allow me to speak to anyone about a patient and their condition."
Written by Kate Buckley on December 21st, 2022
About the Author
I began my healthcare career when I was a sophomore in high school and became an STNA (state-tested nursing assistant) at a local long-term care facility. I then went on to work as a nursing assistant at a local hospital and home healthcare agency. During that time, I pursued my Bachelor's in Business Administration: Human Resource Management and transitioned to working for one of the largest long-term care and post-acute rehab companies in the country. I supported the talent acquisition function and in the span of 8 years, I screened and interviewed over 1,500 nurse aides, LPNs, and RNs.
I hold a very special place in my heart for nurses, as it's often a thankless and tiresome job. Not everyone is cut out to be a nurse and I have great respect and admiration for those that choose this career path. As a content writer and interview coach for MockQuestions, my goal is to help you prepare and succeed in your upcoming interview. This article offers interview tips and advice along with 40 practice interview questions and answer examples to help you better understand what to expect and prepare for interview day! Wishing you the best of luck!
Learn more about Jaymie Payne