Indiana University Kokomo
School of Nursing
TITLE: Confidentiality: HIPAA, Protected Health Information(PHI) and Professionalism
POLICY NO: SON-G-12
RESPONSIBLE COMMITTEE: Student Affairs
TARGET GROUP: Students
PLACEMENT: BSN Student Handbook
REVISION/REVIEWED: October 2014
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and
Confidentiality Policy
A. HIPAA was est to protect the privacy and security of Protected Health
Information (PHI).
B. PHI includes, but is not limited to:
 name
 address
 phone number
 social security number
 date of birth
 admit date
 discharge date
 date of death
 medical record numbers
 insurance information
 details of illness
 information about treatments
 photos of patients
C. Protecting Health Information
a. Students must use only the PHI needed to complete their assignment
and must make sure that only details of illness and information about
treatments, needed to complete their assignments, are taken from the
facility. No other PHI is to be taken from the facility.
b. Students may not photocopy or print any portion of the patient’s chart.
c. Students may not take any pictures anywhere in the clinical facility.
d. Students should ensure that visitors are not able to access computers
Indiana University Kokomo
School of Nursing
e. Students should minimize the computer screen or close out of chart
when leaving the computer
f. Students should assure that a screen diffuser is in place on computer
screen, if available.
g. Students should Never fax any PHI without their clinical instructor or
preceptor present
h. Students should never write down their passwords or share with
anyone else. They should never allow someone else to access the
computer under the student’s log in
i. Students are to use facility resources for activities which are directly
related to patient care ONLY
j. Students may never access websites
(Facebook/Twitter/MySpace/Hotmail/Yahoo/ Google, etc.) for
personal use while at clinical placements.
k. Students may never insert a personal memory stick into a computer on
a patient care unit
l. Students are only permitted to discuss PHI with other members of the
healthcare team currently caring for the patient or within a formal
educational setting (such as post conference in a location away from
anyone else not involved in the post conference and with the door
closed).
m. Students may not transmit any identifiable PHI via email or any social
media.
n. Students, in all contexts related to nursing, should always conduct
themselves as professionals when speaking, using electronic
communications or writing.
o. Students are accountable to report, to their clinical instructor, any
breach of HIPAA compliance.
D. Consequence for breach of HIPAA compliance
If it is determined that you have disclosed Protected Health Information –
PHI or have conducted yourself in an unprofessional manner in contexts
related to your role as a nursing student, you will be subject to any and all
disciplinary actions set forth by Indiana University Kokomo School of
Nursing(IUKSON), which could include immediate termination from the
IUKSON.