A hospice nurse is planning care for a patient who is near death.
Which of the following actions should the nurse include in the patient’s plan of care to promote the patient’s comfort?

Choice A rationale

Reviewing the immunization records of the child’s classmates might be a subsequent step after confirming the diagnosis and reporting to the health department. However, the immediate action should be to contact the local health department.

Choice B rationale

Advising the caregivers to increase the child’s Vitamin B intake is not relevant in this context. Koplik spots are a sign of measles, a viral infection, and increasing Vitamin B intake would not affect the course of this disease.

Choice C rationale

Examining the child’s classmates for enlargement of the parotid gland is not appropriate because enlargement of the parotid gland is a symptom of mumps, not measles.

Choice D rationale

Contacting the local health department is the correct action. Koplik spots are a characteristic sign of measles, a highly contagious and reportable disease. The local health department can provide guidance on further steps, including confirmation of the diagnosis, treatment, and measures to prevent the spread of the disease.

Choice A rationale

While the agency’s billing department does have access to a client’s medical record, it is not the primary information that should be shared when preparing a client to sign a HIPAA acknowledgement form. The billing department’s access is primarily for billing purposes and not for the broad sharing of health information.

Choice B rationale

This is the correct answer. Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, healthcare providers are allowed to share a client’s current medical information with other providers who are involved in their care. This is done to ensure continuity of care and to provide the best possible treatment for

the client. It is important for the client to understand this as it is a key aspect of the HIPAA Privacy Rule.

Choice C rationale

While it is true that a healthcare provider can assist a client in making decisions about who to disclose their health information to, this is not the primary purpose of the HIPAA acknowledgement form. The form is more about informing the client of how their information may be used and shared, rather than assisting them in making disclosure decisions.

Choice D rationale

Assistive personnel do not have access to a client’s prior admission information unless it is necessary for them to carry out their job duties. This is a common misconception and it is important for clients to understand that their information is protected and only shared on a need-to-know basis.