The essay will define confidentiality its importance to nursing profession and professional code of conduct.

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Codes of Conduct

The essay will define confidentiality its importance to nursing profession and professional code of conduct. It will further look at possible dilemmas that could arise in interaction between the nurse colleagues and their relatives. How to ensure confidentiality and legislation governing access to confidential information.

Confidentiality is keeping secret, the shared information depending on the situation arising. Dimond (2002) define confidentiality as one of the values of good care practise that is concerned with protecting private information about the patient and clients obtained during the period of professional practise

Importantly all nurses including midwives have legal and professional responsibilities to respect the rights of patients and clients and to treat them equally. The NMC (2202) state that as a registered nurse, midwife or health visitor, you must protect confidential information.

In addition, the social, ethical and moral basis of working in care setting is further explained in the NMC (2002) clause 5.1 - 5.4.that

In clinical setting, preserving confidentiality is view as the key to establish trust, promote good relationship and interaction.  In the absence of this, nurses might not be able to offer the client the required quality care as expected

Again if client feel confident to communicate their information to the nurse, aware that their information is secure with the assurance that it will be passed on with their consent and on need to know basis.  This will give them willingness to disclose sensitive and relevant information more freely.  Although, the information might have nothing to do with their present ill health, but might later be found to be the contributory factor to the client’s condition.  Incorporating this information into the care plan might help contribute towards the best holistic care within the multidisciplinary team

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In looking at the pros of keeping information obtained in course of professional practice secret. It is worth remembering that disclosure of client information to wrong party might be detrimental to the client.  For example divulging information about mentally ill client to another person not directly involved in his care might expose them to discrimination and labelling.  In this case, the client might not open up and refuse to give full details about himself, unless the client-nurse trust has been built and it has been stressed that the disclosure is in the interest of the client

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