Module 2 – Josie King

applying ethical principles powerpoint

2

Assessment 2

Applying Research Skills: Health Information Privacy

Omar Rodriguez

Capella University

NURS-FPX4000

Professor Michele Lopez

09/02/2025

Health Information Privacy

Health information privacy is a pressing healthcare issue driven by the widespread use of electronic health records (EHRs) and digital health technologies. According to Carvalho, Bandiera-Paiva, Marques, and Machado (2021), preventing breaches of data and unauthorized access is essential to safeguard patient confidentiality, build trust, and maintain compliance with regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR, enacted in 2018, introduced strict requirements for organizations that access private data in Health Information Systems (HIS) (Carvalho et al., 2021). This paper will briefly discuss how these regulations are essential, as they directly affect patient safety, organizational accountability, and compliance with patient data standards through annotated bibliographies of three peer-reviewed scholarly articles.

Professional Relevance

Nursing is often regarded as one of the most ethical professions. This entails that nurses are morally obligated to advocate for patient rights, securely document within patient records and collaborate with other healthcare professionals while maintaining patient safety and integrity. Nurses are at the forefront of maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality, as they are directly involved in providing patient care and education, have access to all relevant medical records and charts and perform one-to-one activities with patients and families. Acting as a gateway between patients and the entirety of the healthcare system, nurses must ensure to be compliant with patient privacy regulations, such as HIPAA and GDPR (Wu et al., 2023).

Article Selection Process

Research on best practices for addressing health information privacy was conducted using Capella University’s library resources, including CINAHL Plus with Full Text, PubMed, and ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Database. Broad keywords such as “health information privacy, electronic health records, data security, and patient confidentiality” were used to narrow down the number of articles. The search was refined with more specific terms, including cybersecurity, privacy regulations, encryption, and healthcare compliance. These results were then filtered to show only peer-reviewed articles published within the last five years.

Assessing Credibility and Relevance

To check the credibility of the articles, the abstracts were reviewed to ensure that the articles went along with the research topic, and only those that meet both the correct content and criteria were selected. The purpose of the articles were clearly defined and in line with the topic of this paper. The authors from the chosen articles have previously published articles for well-known and recognized journals in the world of healthcare. These articles contain strictly factual information cited from other credible sources, studies, etc. For example, Carvalho et al. (2021) conducted a systematic study and published it to the International Journal of Reliable and Quality E-Healthcare, a reputable and widely cited journal. Wu et al. (2023) published their article to World Wide Web, which is a credible journal focusing on scientific and technological innovations, filled with peer-reviewed scholarly articles. Ohaja et al. (2023) submitted their research and article to Cogent Arts & Humanities, a multidisciplinary database with peer-reviewed scholarly journals supported by an international editorial board. To further ensure the quality and relevance of the articles, only journal articles that were peer-reviewed and published within the past three to five years were selected.

Annotated Bibliography

Carvalho, M., Bandiera-Paiva, P., Marques, E., & Machado, J. M. (2021). Health information systems (HIS) privacy restrictions for GDPR. International Journal of Reliable and Quality E-Healthcare, 10(2), 4–16. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijrqeh.2021040102 This article described the privacy restrictions of health information systems under the foundation of GDPR. The study focused on the difficulties of executing GDPR guidelines, such as patient consent in healthcare environments. The study also noted that although GDPR can help attain patient confidence, the new system requires many changes in the overall structure of healthcare we already have established. The authors recommended using encryption models and access mechanisms as solutions to compliance issues. This article also pinpointed the differences regarding the flow of health information when patient care is centered at one facility versus requiring transferring to multiple facilities. This article is credible, as it was published in a well-known peer-reviewed journal that focuses on healthcare technologies. The authors of this article are all experienced in the field of healthcare technology and health informatics. This article is valuable for healthcare workers because it shows how privacy regulations directly affect the patients and the care they receive.

Ohaja, E. U., Ukonu, M. O., Mbamalu, M., & Ezeanwu, R. (2023). COVID-19 information protection: Between information privacy, health secrecy and public safety. Cogent Arts & Humanities, 10(1), 2184463. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2023.2184463 This article discussed health information privacy, specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. The study focused on how the government’s control of information negatively impacted public trust. The articles’ findings showed that restricted media access to isolation centers led to incomplete coverage and widespread suspicion from the public. The articles concluded that maintaining transparent communication is vital for preserving trust, specifically during a health crisis or pandemic. This study is credible because it was published in a peer-reviewed journal, and its’ authors are scholars that specialize in public health and health data. This study is important for nurses and healthcare workers in general, as it focuses on how important communication and transparency is in the eye of the public. This article will help to remind healthcare workers that they play a key role in maintaining the confidence and trust of the people and ensuring they remain educated as healthcare changes over time.

Wu, Z., Liu, H., Xie, J., Xu, G., Li, G., & Lu, C. (2023). An effective method for the protection of user health topic privacy for health information services. World Wide Web, 26(6), 3837–3859. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11280-023-01208-5 This article focused mainly on a new and inventive solution for the current issues regarding healthcare security. This study proposed a method for privacy protection for health information services using identity replacement and agent algorithms in cloud-based systems. The model reduces privacy exposure without reducing efficiency, which offered a direct solution for maintaining health data safely and securely. The article provided a more technical perspective that focused on regulatory and social matters regarding health information privacy. This article is credible because it was published by authors with experience and proficiency in healthcare security on the World Wide Web, which is a peer-reviewed journal filled with studies from researchers and authors with expertise in data security and healthcare technologies. The research conducted by the authors of this article is more important for nurses than ever, as it focuses on one of the most important aspects of healthcare, the protection and privacy of their patients’ information.

Learnings from Research

The research process for this annotated bibliography highlighted health information privacy as a pressing concern in modern times. It demonstrated how it is more important than ever to ensure patient confidentiality is maintained in modern times where everything is digitalized. Compiling the information for the annotated bibliography, ensuring the formatting was correct, learning the process of discovering specific articles with the correct information, using the correct keywords to narrow down the number of articles and filtering for peer-reviewed articles within the last three to five years reiterated the importance of how important it is to correctly use an online library to conduct research. The combined learnings from the requirements of this essay will prove to be useful for future coursework in this program.

References

Carvalho, M., Bandiera-Paiva, P., Marques, E., & Machado, J. M. (2021). Health information systems (HIS) privacy restrictions for GDPR. International Journal of Reliable and Quality E-Healthcare, 10(2), 4–16. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijrqeh.2021040102

Ohaja, E. U., Ukonu, M. O., Mbamalu, M., & Ezeanwu, R. (2023). COVID-19 information protection: Between information privacy, health secrecy and public safety. Cogent Arts & Humanities, 10(1), 2184463. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2023.2184463

Wu, Z., Liu, H., Xie, J., Xu, G., Li, G., & Lu, C. (2023). An effective method for the protection of user health topic privacy for health information services. World Wide Web, 26(6), 3837–3859. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11280-023-01208-5

nursing

MS

Mia Lashonda Smith-August

Sep 8 5:04pm

Reply from Mia Lashonda Smith-August

Nursing values and professional ethics are deeply embedded in the advocacy priorities we uphold for vulnerable populations. Core nursing values such as compassion, respect for human dignity, advocacy, and justice align with the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics, which emphasizes the nurse’s responsibility to protect and promote the health of individuals and communities (American Nurses Association, 2015). For example, when advocating for disadvantaged groups, such as older adults in institutional care or underserved minority communities, nurses act on their moral obligation to reduce health inequities (Raghavan, 2025).

Our nursing values demand that advocacy for vulnerable populations remain central to the professional agenda because failure to act perpetuates structural inequities. Ethical principles such as beneficence and nonmaleficence compel nurses to intervene against systemic barriers to care (Akyol & Küçükgüçlü, 2024). Additionally, the professional duty of justice requires that healthcare access and resources be equitably distributed, especially for those at risk of exclusion (Braveman et al., 2022).

When comparing the role of law, ethics, and politics in shaping advocacy priorities, ethics arguably exerts the most consistent influence. Laws may lag behind societal needs, and politics can shift based on power dynamics, but nursing ethics provide a stable framework rooted in human rights and professional integrity (Annen, 2025). However, law and politics cannot be ignored, as policies determine funding allocations, regulatory requirements, and access to services. Nurses, therefore, function at the intersection of all three domains, but their ethical commitment is what drives persistent advocacy on behalf of vulnerable groups.

References

American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. ANA. https://www.nursingworld.org/coe-view-only

Annen, H. (2025). Psychological responses to conflict and crisis–Understanding resilience, support mechanisms, and moral strain in times of global turmoil. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, 1684360. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1684360

Akyol, M. A., & Küçükgüçlü, Ö. (2024). Nursing and ethics: Addressing ethical problems in older adults’ institutional care. In Nursing and Ethics. Istanbul University Press. https://iupress.istanbul.edu.tr/en/book/hemsirelik-ve-etik/chapter/yaslilik-ve-etik

Braveman, P., Arkin, E., Proctor, D., Kauh, T., & Holm, N. (2022). Systemic inequities and the ethical imperative for health equity in nursing. American Journal of Nursing, 122(3), 24–32. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000822400.21521.9b

Raghavan, M. (2025). Advancing health equity: Nursing’s philosophical, theoretical, and ethical approaches to eliminating health disparities. Asian Journal of Research in Nursing, 21(5), 44–52. https://jagunifiedinternational.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/AJRGN-Vol.21-5-Feb-2025.pdf

HIM

Adv. Roles Module 3

Adv. pharm WK 3

Topic III: Men's and Women's Health

Introduction

pregnancy and related

Each medication prescribed during pregnancy and lactation should be scrutinized via drug information resources for adverse effects during pregnancy / lactation, with particular attention paid to the timing of the drug's administration (early, mid, or late pregnancy, or timing of doses in relation to expression of milk/infant feeding). Pre-pregnancy planning is strongly encouraged for patients with chronic conditions and on medications. There is a need to ascertain if there are safer alternative medications available as well as examining the overall necessity of continued therapy during pregnancy.

All practitioners should be familiar with drugs that are absolutely contraindicated in pregnancy (drugs which have proven teratogenic effects – Category X drugs) and have understaning of how medications are classified (i.e. fetal risk) based on the former Category Ratings and the Pregnancy and Lactation Labeling Rule (PLLR)

Many common medications include classes such as statins, ACE inhibitors/ARBs, many anticonvulsants, isotretinoin, lithium, NSAIDS, and warfarin (See Table 48-3 in PPP).  Women of childbearing age should be counseled on possible pregnancy consequences if they take these drugs.

Medication use during pregnancy and lactation is challenging – patients with chronic conditions must be managed and acute issues requiring medication must be addressed as well.  Patients must also be counseled with regard to over the counter medication use during pregnancy and lactation.  Although many of these patients are also managed by specialists in obstetrics / gynecology, primary care practitioners should be familiar with the chronic and acute medications which pose risks in pregnancy and lactation.

There are many options available for medical contraception.  Women may require a trial of several hormonal contraceptives before they find an option that is ideal for them.  Clinicians may streamline medications by choosing OCs that are approved for additional indications (acne control, etc.).  Choice of combined OC may be based on regimen that patient prefers (cyclic versus continuous).

Many drugs may interact with hormonal contraceptives and alter efficacy.  Common interactions include antibiotics, steroids, and anticonvulsants.  Hormonal contraceptives may also affect other medications as well. Patients should be counseled and interactions should be checked whenever a new medication is added to a patient on hormonal contraceptives (particularly oral formulations)

menopause

For older women, long term use of hormone replacement therapy for  menopause is associated with more overall risk than benefit and should not be used.  Short term hormonal therapy can be useful for patients with bothersome vasomotor symptoms, although should be prescribed at the lowest possible dose and for the shortest possible duration.  Hormone replacement therapy should not be continued for any other purpose (eg. prevention of osteoporosis). Topical estrogen products (not transdermal systemic) with limited systemic absorption may be useful for women experiencing vulvovaginal atrophy.

Nonhormonal therapies can also be considered in those women for whom estrogens can not be used. Nonhormonal therapies for alleviation of vasomotor symptoms include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), clonidine, and gabapentin

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), North American Menopause Society (NAMS), and the Endocrine Society conclude insufficient evidence to support the use of herbal remedies for vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause due to inconsistent results in trials

Mens health 

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as the persistent inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse

Patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) should be carefully assessed for cardiac function  prior to beginning medical therapy with PDE5 inhibitors (sildenafil, etc.).  (See PPP Table 51-3)

For men, erectile dysfunction may be worsened by a variety of diseases and drugs.  Treatment should always look to remove or modify potential contributing factors (including offending medications) before drugs are prescribed.  First line treatment with PDE5 inhibitors is usually preferable for most patients due to ease of oral dosing and convenience.  Second line therapies including injections and intraurethral pellets should probably be managed by a specialist. (See PPP Table 51-1, 51-2 ).

· All PDE5 inhibitors appear to have similar efficacy for treatment of ED.

· Up to a third of patients will not respond to therapy with PDE5 inhibitors. To achieve the greatest effect, patients must be fully informed of the onset and duration of effect, impact of high-fat meals, the need for sexual stimulation, and explanation that a single trial is not adequate. It is estimated that six to eight attempts with a medication and specific dose may be needed before successful intercourse

Testosterone replacement has limited role in treatment of ED, and should not be offered routinely to older men in without other clinically significant symptoms and low testosterone levels.  

BPH can be managed conservatively in the mild to moderate stages, and drug therapy can be started and escalated as the patient's symptoms worsen. Keep in mind that 5a reductase inhibitors will not provide immediate benefits for the patient. Patients on drug treatment for BPH should be monitored for adverse effects including hypotension and sexual dysfunction.

Medical management should be utilized for patients with moderate to severe BPH with bothersome symptoms, and should initially consist of alpha 1 blockers (alfuzosin 10 mg, doxazosin 2-8 mg, tamsulosin 0.4-0.8 mg, terazosin 2-10 mg, or silodosin 8 mg orally once daily).  5a-reductase inhibitors should be utilized for patients with larger prostate sizes and/or elevated PSA values.  These two medication classes can be combined for patients with severe voiding issues. 

Alpha 1-blockers are similar in efficacy within the medication class, as are 5a-reductase inhibitors. Older alpha blockers require titration to avoid orthostasis, an adverse event avoided with the use of uro-selective agents.

Objectives

At the completion of this module the student will be able to:

· See "Learning Objectives" outlined in chapters 48-52 of Pharmacotherapy: Principles and Practices

· Recognize common drugs that are absolutely contraindicated in pregnancy (category X).

· State the appropriate course of action for checking the appropriateness of medications prior to prescribing medication to women who are pregnant or nursing.

· Recognize the drugs commonly causing interactions with hormonal contraception which may affect efficacy.

· State the appropriate uses of hormonal replacement therapy and topical hormonal therapy for menopausal/post-menopausal women.

· Recognize medications which may contribute to ED.

· Suggest a first line treatment plan for ED and BPH.

Readings 

Pharmacotherapy Principles and Practice

· Chapter 48: Pregnancy and Lactation: Therapeutic Considerations

· Chapter 49: Contraception

· Chapter 50: Menopause and Menstruation Related Disorders

· Focus on Menopause only for this course

· Chapter 51: Erectile Dysfunction

· Chapter 52: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Other Resources

· Dynamed Summary for Oral Contraceptives:  https://www-dynamed-com.wilkes.idm.oclc.org/drug-review/oral-contraceptives

· Dynamed Summary for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT):  https://www-dynamed-com.wilkes.idm.oclc.org/management/hormonal-replacement-therapy-hrt-for-menopause-and-perimenopause

· Dynamed Summary for Erectile Dysfunction (ED):  https://www-dynamed-com.wilkes.idm.oclc.org/condition/erectile-dysfunction

· Dynamed Summary for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH):  https://www-dynamed-com.wilkes.idm.oclc.org/condition/benign-prostatic-hyperplasia-bph

Videos

· Impact of pregnancy on pharmacokinetics of medications (Mary F. Hébert, Pharm.D., FCCP): 

· Erectile Dysfunction (osmosis):