Understanding Legal Standards in Informatics : AACN

Understanding Legal Standards in Informatics

Overview

This learning module is structured to assist entry- and advanced-level nursing students gain knowledge, understanding and competency regarding Legal Standards pertaining to Informatics and Healthcare Technology. Using this module, students will have the opportunity to explore: 1) important terms and definitions associated with privacy and confidentiality, 2) federal policies associated with privacy and confidentiality, 3) strategies nursing professionals can employ to protect patient privacy and confidentiality, 4) case examples to develop competence in practice, and 5) reflective practices to enhance personal development

How to Use

Designed to be a one- or two-weeks learning experience depending on objectives within your course. Part, or all, the content provided in this teaching resource may be employed.
This module is designed with 15 ‘pages’ of content (see attachments at the end of this document). Page titles and content can be copied and pasted into your course via the learning management system (LMS) your school employs. (Please note, depending on personal aesthetics, feel free to revise the layout of the content to best suit your needs.) The final two pages of the module includes a knowledge check / self-quiz for students to verify their knowledge.
Three Assignment options are available. (Please note, all three may be used or select from the ones developed to best suit your class needs.)
- Discussion Board / Forum
- Case Study Assignment
- Reflection Assignment

Integrative Learning Strategies

Discussion Board / Forum

This assignment may be deployed at the beginning of week one and continuing through week two so as to allow for back and forth discussion amongst students and faculty.

Students are to perform a web search to locate a HIPAA related case (inpatient or outpatient based) to share in the Discussion Board.
Students should access and read the following document: https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNProducts/Downloads/HIPAAPrivacyandSecurity.pdf
Students are to:
- Analyse the main problem of their selected case,
- Discuss the specific rule i.e. Privacy, Security or Breach Notification, that has/have been violated,
- Identify mitigation and security strategies that facilities should put in place to address such of an issue,
- Discuss any potential or actual policies and regulations that should be revised to support the appropriate use of technologies impacting health care, and,
- Discuss how they might advocate for policy changes or development, if necessary.
- Lastly, all sources should be referenced at the end of the post.
- After the initial posting deadline, students should respond with helpful critique to one other post and any requests by their faculty.

Case Study Assignment

Overview: This assignment is designed to assess the student’s development towards competency regarding Legal Standards pertaining to Informatics and Healthcare Technology. Students are to select a case from the list and answer a series of questions as part of a detailed analysis.

After completing the entire module, students should access and read the following document: https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNProducts/Downloads/HIPAAPrivacyandSecurity.pdf

Please select the case which you will critique:
A) A private practice denied an individual access to her records on the basis that a portion of the individual's record was created by a physician not associated with the practice.
B) A hospital employee's supervisor accessed, examined, and disclosed an employee's medical record.
Directions:

Please create and save a word document as yourlastname_case_study_assignment.
Include a cover page.
In the body of the paper, please address the following prompts (questions):
- Analyse the main problem of the case,
- Discuss the specific rule i.e. Privacy, Security, or Breach Notification, that has been violated,
- Discuss mitigation and security strategies that facilities should put in place to address such of an issue,
- Discusses any potential or actual policies and regulations that should be revised to support the appropriate use of technologies impacting health care, and
- Describe how one might advocate for policy changes or development.
Please include a reference page.
Submit the assignment in the Learning Management System once you are satisfied with it.

Reflection Assignment

Overview: For this assignment, you will provide a considerate analysis of your engagement with this module content.

Directions:

Please create and save a word document as yourlastname_reflection_assignment
Include a cover page.
In the body of the paper, please address the following two prompts (questions):
- How much did you know about the subject matter before this module experience? (Please explain in no more than one-half a page.)
- What are some of the more interesting discoveries you made while processing through this module? Briefly discuss your discoveries in no more than one-half page.
- When considering this subject matter, what is one thing you would like to learn more about and why?
If references are used, please include a reference page.
Submit the assignment in the Learning Management System once you are satisfied with it.

Assessment Strategies

Discussion Board / Forum Rubric

The following grading scale applies to this rubric.

Excellent work will be awarded full points
Good work will be awarded 80-90% of points
Satisfactory work will be awarded 70-80% of points
Unsatisfactory work will be awarded 1-70% of points
Missing work will receive no points

Criteria	Explanation of Grading Expectation
Quality of Initial Post	0 to 50 points Posts a well-developed response to the assigned questions; Fully addresses all aspects of the assigned topic / question.
Post to Peer and Faculty	0 to 40 points Provides well-developed critique to one student; Appropriately addresses any follow-up by fellow student and faculty, if applicable.
Scholarly Writing	0 to 10 points Less than two grammar mistakes; Follows APA formatting.

Case Study Assignment Rubric

The following grading scale applies to this rubric.

Excellent work will be awarded full points
Good work will be awarded 80-90% of points
Satisfactory work will be awarded 70-80% of points
Unsatisfactory work will be awarded 1-70% of points
Missing work will receive no points

Criteria	Explanation of Grading Expectation
Case	0 to 90 points Response addresses required prompts / questions: Provides a detailed analysis and synthesis of the case Discusses specific law(s) that has/have been broken Discusses mitigation and security strategies that facilities should put in place to address such an issue; Discuss any potential or actual policies and regulations that should be revised to support the appropriate use of technologies impacting health case; Describes how one might advocate for policy changes or development
Scholarly Writing	0 to 10 points Less than two grammar mistakes; Follows APA formatting

Criteria

Explanation of Grading Expectation

Case

0 to 90 points
Response addresses required prompts / questions:

Provides a detailed analysis and synthesis of the case
Discusses specific law(s) that has/have been broken
Discusses mitigation and security strategies that facilities should put in place to address such an issue;
Discuss any potential or actual policies and regulations that should be revised to support the appropriate use of technologies impacting health case;
Describes how one might advocate for policy changes or development

Scholarly Writing

0 to 10 points
Less than two grammar mistakes; Follows APA formatting

Reflection Assignment Rubric

The following grading scale applies to this rubric.

Excellent work will be awarded full points
Good work will be awarded 80-90% of points
Satisfactory work will be awarded 70-80% of points
Unsatisfactory work will be awarded 1-70% of points
Missing work will receive no points

Criteria	Explanation of Grading Expectation
Evidence of Evaluation and Synthesis of Material	0 to 90 points Reflection addresses prompts (questions); Always uses concepts and terminology appropriately; When applicable, always provides appropriate examples; Answer is presented in a format that is organized and easy to follow; Evidence of insightful evaluation and synthesis is present.
Scholarly Writing	0 to 10 points Less than two grammar mistakes; Follows APA formatting.

Possible Courses

Nursing Informatics and Healthcare Technology (Undergraduate or Graduate)

Additional Resources/Publications

American Nurses Association: https://www.nursingworld.org
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: https://www.hhs.gov
The National Academies Press: https://www.nap.edu/
National Institutes of Health: https://www.nih.gov

Sub-competencies for entry-level nursing education:

8.5a Identify common risks associated with using information and communication technology.
8.5c Comply with legal and regulatory requirements while using communication and information technologies.

Sub-competencies for advanced-level nursing education:

8.5g Apply risk mitigation and security strategies to reduce misuse of information and communication technology.
8.5h Assess potential ethical and legal issues associated with the use of information and communication technology.
8.5i Recommend strategies to protect health information when using communication and information technology.
8.5k Advocate for policies and regulations that support the appropriate use of technologies impacting health care.
8.5l Analyze the impact of federal and state policies and regulation on health data and technology in care settings.

Posted: July 25, 2023

Submitted by:

Robert K Michael
Associate Professor
Angelo State University