What is the primary regulation that nurses must follow to ensure confidentiality of patient information?

The primary regulation that nurses must follow to ensure confidentiality of patient information is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations. HIPAA was enacted to protect the privacy and security of individuals’ medical information, making it essential for healthcare providers, including nurses, to safeguard patient data. Under HIPAA, there are specific guidelines regarding how patient information can be accessed, used, and disclosed, which helps to prevent unauthorized access and ensures confidentiality.

The other options, while pertinent to healthcare, do not specifically focus on the confidentiality of patient information in the way HIPAA does. The Patient Protection Act mainly addresses healthcare coverage and access rather than information privacy. The Affordable Care Act includes provisions for expanding access to healthcare but does not primarily focus on confidentiality. The Health Information Technology Act relates to the adoption of health information technology but does not specifically govern the privacy of patient information like HIPAA does. Therefore, HIPAA regulations are the central framework that nurses must adhere to in regard to maintaining patient confidentiality.