Failure to Protect Resident Medical Record Confidentiality
Penalty
Summary
A registered nurse (RN) failed to maintain the confidentiality of a resident's personal and medical records by leaving her computer open and unattended on a nursing cart in a hallway. The computer screen displayed the resident's picture, name, date of birth, room number, age, and medication information. This was observed for a period of five minutes without any staff present at the cart, making the information accessible to unauthorized individuals. The resident involved was an elderly female with diagnoses including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, seizures, anemia, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. She was cognitively intact but required substantial to maximal assistance with mobility and transfers. The Director of Nursing (DON) confirmed the privacy violation upon observing the unattended computer, and the RN acknowledged forgetting to lock the computer screen, admitting it was a mistake.