NCLEX - Legal Q&A Re: Privacy

[Delta18]

For those taking the time to read and comment on my question - Thank you! I have posted a few questions before, and getting help from the people on this site has been a great help! So here I go again. I am currently trying to study for my upcoming exam date. A question on a legal issue regarding privacy popped up (at least that's how I looked at it) - while I was using the Exam Cram text. Ok, here goes:

A female client seen in the health department's STD clinic is diagnosed with chlamydia. Before the client leaves the clinic, the nurse should:

1.)Obtain the names and addresses of the client's sexual contacts.

2.) Tell the client to avoid alcohol while taking her prescription for Flagyl

3.) Instruct the client to avoid sexual relations until the infection is resolved.

4.) Tell the client to douche after sexual intercourse.

Now I know that I should be looking for "distractors" and douching is a big no/no. But their answer to this was obtain the names and addresses of the client's sexual contacts. I don't understand the "WHY". Does this violate the persons privacy? I know that with new cases of STDs and HIV the clinic/hospital is responsible for reporting the numbers and any relavent information to the state health department. But isn't that the extent of it? It would be like telling a patient (who has HIV) that you are going to tell their significant other that the patient has HIV.

Am I looking at this wrong? I mean obviously, I got it wrong on the tutorial. But they don't give any "rationale" other than "this is the correct procedure". I don't get it.

PLEASE HELP!!!

[gcupid]

I would have gotten it right, Yeah!

It's not violating the client's privacy if you look at it this way. Although it is possible, it's highly unlikely that everyone on that list has just been devirginalized and was in a commited monogamous relationship.

You have to assume that everyone on that list has had multiple sex partners within the last 6 months, no one would know who infected him/her with the STI. The greater good would be to report it to whomever the individual says he/she had sexual intercourse with.

Besides,it's not violating privacy if the patient gives the information. Some liars would think to themselves and say" I was the only one with him/her and I was his/her first, I'm not giving her address & name."

[Delta18]

As much as I appreciate your reply, it doesn't seem to answer the question about if this is actually the correct answer. The reason being, is that there are a few other review materials that indicate that this would be a violation, because "technically" HIV is a separate issue but it is still considered an STD. Therefore, a nurse would be violating privacy. If the patient gives out information on people, and it turns out that the info is bogus or false - more importantly if they get tested and there tests are negative - then ALL those people (on the list) know that the one patient HAS an STD. Therefore, in any case - with a "call list" - the information trail puts privacy in jeopardy.

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

The rationale is that chlamydia is a reportable disease and with sexually-transmitted diseases (STD) states will attempt to contact all sexual contacts to assure they are not infected and/or appropriately treated if they are already infected.