A 2-month-old infant contracts a disease through vertical transmission.
Which situation should the nurse investigate further to ascertain how the infant might have been exposed to the disease?

Answer and explanation

The correct answer is Choice A.

Choice A rationale

A graduate nursing student requesting information, including laboratory findings and chest X- ray results, about all clients with symptoms of H1N1 who have been seen during the last month in a community health clinic is asking for sensitive patient information. This information is protected under privacy laws and regulations, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States. Therefore, the charge nurse should obtain written authorization from clients to release the information. This ensures that the privacy and confidentiality of the patients are maintained, which is a fundamental principle in healthcare.

Choice B rationale

While it’s important to verify if permission has been obtained from the research committee, it’s not the first step in this process. The primary concern should be the patients’ rights to privacy and confidentiality. Therefore, obtaining written authorization from the clients to release their information should be the first step.

Choice C rationale

Asking the student to sign a standard waiver form is not sufficient to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the patients. The charge nurse should first obtain written authorization from the clients before releasing any information.

Choice D rationale

Providing the information for research purposes only does not absolve the healthcare provider from the responsibility of obtaining written consent from the patients. The patients’ rights to privacy and confidentiality must be respected, and their consent is necessary before any information can be released.

Answer and explanation The correct answer is C. Choice A rationale

Delineating the geographic distribution of the area to survey and review for patterns could provide useful information about the spread of influenza in the community, but it would not directly provide data about vaccination rates or reasons for any decline.

Choice B rationale

Asking a set number of clients if they have had the flu could provide anecdotal information about the prevalence of the flu, but it would not provide comprehensive data about vaccination rates or reasons for any decline.

Choice C rationale

Generating influenza immunization and case reports from the electronic record would provide direct data about the number of people who have been vaccinated and the number of influenza cases. This information could be used to identify trends and understand reasons for any decline in vaccination rates.

Choice D rationale

Determining the change in immunization rates from the previous year to the current year would provide information about trends in vaccination rates, but it would not provide comprehensive data about the number of influenza cases or reasons for any decline.