The views of nurses on practices of security, confidentiality and privacy in health records

This study has been carried out in sequential descriptive pattern as descriptive and descriptive-phenomenological with the aim of analyzing the views of nurses on factors that affect the practices of security, confidentiality and privacy in health records (PSCPHR) and solution suggestions. Quantitative section of the study has been designed as descriptive research. 272 nurses have taken part in the sample. Data has been collected using "Introductory Information Form" and "Form of Nurse's View on Security, Confidentiality and Privacy of Health Records" in October-December 2019. Descriptive statistics have been used in data assessment. Qualitative section of the study has been designed as descriptive-phenomenological research. 21 nurses have taken part in the sample of the study. The data has been collected using "Semi-Structured Interview Questions" with the method of focus group interview in December 2019. In the content analysis carried out to assess the data, conceptualization of data and disclosure of the themes have been provided. Main results obtained from quantitative findings indicate that nurses do not abide by password security as required and that they do not take all the required measures in order to ensure the confidentiality and privacy of the patient information in daily process. Nearly half of the nurses think that nurses are responsible primarily in the hospitals they work at in terms of providing the security, confidentiality and privacy in health records (SCPHR). There is difference between nurses in terms of providing the security of health records in the facilities they work at according to their ages, their time period in the facility, the clinic they work at and their trainings. In terms of providing confidentiality, there is difference according to their positions and trainings. In terms of providing privacy, there is difference according to the clinic they work at and trainings. The results obtained from the interviews show that nurses focus on the topics of of access security, physical security and administrative security in terms of providing the security of health records and that they focus on behaviors of healthcare professionals in terms of providing confidentiality. Nurses have focused on the topics of corporate regulations, behaviors of hospital employees and behaviors of patients/patient relatives in terms of providing the privacy of health records. According to nurses, in order to provide security, confidentiality and privacy in health records (SCPHR), firstly, it is important to make relevant legal regulations, to strengthen the ethical approach, to train the employees, to provide regulations and control in terms of proper usage of technology, to provide execution of administrative regulations and to customize incident reporting system specific to health records. In accordance with the results obtained from the research, suggestions have been made for nurse managers, healthcare organizations, professional assosications and researchers.