A nurse is asked by a colleague about a patient’s psychiatric diagnosis. Which action demonstrates proper confidentiality?

• A. Share details with the colleague if the patient consents
• B. Refuse; discuss only with the patient, maintaining confidentiality
• C. Provide a general statement without the patient’s consent
• D. Post about the patient’s condition on a unit whiteboard

Answer: (B)

Confidentiality means protecting a patient’s private health information and sharing it only with people who need to know for the patient’s care, and only with the patient’s consent when required. In this situation, discussing a psychiatric diagnosis with a colleague without the patient’s explicit consent would violate that privacy boundary. The appropriate action is to refuse to disclose the diagnosis and to discuss the information only with the patient, honoring their right to control who knows about their mental health. If the patient explicitly consents, information can be shared with another clinician involved in their care, but the disclosure should still be limited to what is necessary for treatment. Publicly posting the diagnosis or providing only a vague general statement without consent would risk unnecessary exposure and stigma, breaching confidentiality.