People who live in private homes are able to take their privacy for granted, but that is not the case for residents of nursing facilities. They might wake to the sound of the breakfast cart coming down the hall, have someone come in and take their vital signs before they get up, and need others to do things for them that most people do for themselves in the privacy of their own bedrooms or bathrooms. As a certified nurses’ aid you will need to plan to preserve the residents’ modesty. The need for privacy includes the resident’s body, possessions, and information.
The resident’s person: Any time when you dress or undress a patient, be sure that the door is closed or that there is a curtain around the bed. When a physician has to examine a patient, a certified nurses’ aid can be enlisted to assist. If you are told to expose part of the patients’ anatomy for an exam, place a drape over the exposed part of the resident’s body before and immediately after the exam. Help the patient to dress as soon as the doctor leaves.
The resident’s property: Possessions that you would not want on public view can be put into cupboards or dressers. A bedpan is not attractive to have out when visitors come over, so put it away where it belongs when it is not in use. Any personal papers should also be placed in the dresser where the resident can find them easily but out of sight of visitors.
The resident’s information: When dealing with health, personal or family matters use discretion. If a patient needs to go to another facility for dialysis or chemotherapy, if there are others around, just say that it is time to go for a treatment without specifying what it is. The resident can decide how much to share with friends and family. Anything that happens in the nursing home must stay at the nursing home. If you discuss a patient in a restaurant, you never know when that resident’s relative could be sitting at the next table. If you want to share your knowledge of a case with a colleague or student who can learn from it, you may describe what happened with Mr. A. or Ms. B. without using his or her real name.
Medical records can be made available to the resident if he or she asks for them, but they should not be left lying around where visitors can see them. They should not be given to family members except with permission of the resident. Other than that, medical records should only be available to healthcare workers giving direct care to the resident. When in doubt, see your supervisor or the nurse in charge. If you get a telephone call from the resident’s doctor’s office asking for information, call the nurse in charge to the telephone.
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