How can nurses ensure ethical considerations in the use of electronic health records (EHRs) and data sharing?

• A. Always share full records with anyone who requests.
• B. Limit information only to what is legally required.
• C. Limit access to needed information, protect privacy, obtain consent for data use beyond direct care, and report any breach promptly.
• D. Never document data sharing beyond patient care.

Answer: (C)

Protecting patient privacy in electronic records comes down to handling information with confidentiality, only giving access when it’s actually needed for care, and having clear rules for how data can be used and shared. The best approach is to limit access to what is needed to support the patient’s care, safeguard privacy through secure systems, obtain consent for any uses beyond direct treatment, and report any data breach promptly.

Limiting access to the minimum necessary information ensures clinicians have what they need for diagnosis and treatment without exposing unrelated data. Protecting privacy means using strong security practices—authentications, access controls, encryption, and auditing—to prevent unauthorized viewing or disclosure. Obtaining consent for data use beyond direct care recognizes patient autonomy and aligns with ethical and legal standards for secondary uses such as research or sharing with third parties. Finally, reporting breaches promptly supports accountability, allows timely mitigation, and fulfills regulatory and organizational obligations.

Choosing options that advocate sharing everything with anyone or that rely solely on what’s legally required misses these protections. And claiming never to document data sharing overlooks legitimate, transparent disclosures that are essential for accountability and patient trust.