Nursing Assistant Certification (NAC) AMCA 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The legal disclosure of a patient's medical information is often justified when there is a health risk to the public. This situation falls under specific regulations and laws, such as mandatory reporting statutes, which require healthcare professionals to report certain communicable diseases or imminent threats to public health or safety.

For instance, if a healthcare worker learns that a patient has a highly contagious disease that could pose a risk to others, they may be required to inform public health authorities to prevent an outbreak. In such scenarios, the priority is protecting public health, and the legal framework supports necessary disclosures that serve this purpose.

In contrast, disclosing information to family members typically requires patient consent unless there is a compelling legal reason or exemption. A verbal request from the patient for information doesn't automatically grant permission for disclosure without appropriate measures in place, such as verifying the identity of the requester. Lastly, the quality of the relationship between a patient and nurse does not provide a legal basis for disclosing information; confidentiality must be maintained regardless of personal relationships.