NURSING INFORMATICS
SESSION 10: POLICIES,
GUIDELINES AND LAWS IN
NURSING INFORMATICS PRIVACY
& NETIQUETTE
POLICIES, GUIDELINES AND LAWS IN NURSING
INFORMATICS
POLICY
o This
is a deliberate system of principles to guide decisions and achieve rational
outcomes.
o This is a statement of intent, and is implemented as a procedure or protocol.
o Policies are generally adopted by a governance body within an organization.
defined as a course of action that guides present and future decisions.
o Action based on given conditions are selected from among identified
alternatives.
CONT.
HEALTH CARE POLICY
oHealth policy refers to decisions, plans, and actions that are undertaken to achieve
specific health care goals within a society.
o An explicit health policy can achieve several things: it defines a vision for the future
which in turn helps to establish targets and points of reference for the short and
medium term. It outlines priorities and the expected roles of different groups; and it
builds consensus and informs people.
o Is established on local and national levels to guide the implementation of solutions
for the population’s health needs.
CONT.
The events to be included are the nursing shortage, a concern for
patient safety, national informatics initiatives, and delivery of
services through Telehealth
● The national alliance for health information technology (NAHIT)
is a partnership of diverse healthcare leaders who are working to
influence the use of technology to improve patient’s safety, quality
and efficiency.
Intellectual property code of the Philippines
Republic Act No. 8293
●An Act prescribing the intellectual property code and establishing the intellectual
property office, providing for its powers functions, and other purposes.
● recognizes that an effective intellectual and industrial property system is vital to the
development of domestic and creative activity, facilitates transfer of technology, attracts
foreign investments, and ensures market access for our products.
● It shall protect and secure the exclusive rights of scientists, investors, artists and other
gifted citizens to their intellectual property and creations, particularly when beneficial to
the people, for such periods.
● Intellectual property refers to the creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic
works, symbols, names and images used in commerce
Intellectual property rights under the intellectual
Property Code are as follows:
1. Copyright and related rights: refers to the legal right of the owner of intellectual property. In simpler terms,
copyright is the right to copy. This means that the original creators of products and anyone they give
authorization to are the only ones with the exclusive right to reproduce the work.
2. Trademarks and service marks: is a distinctive sign that identifies certain goods or services produced or
provided by an individual or a company.
3. Geographic indications: is a sign used in goods that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities
or a reputation due to the place of origin.
4. Industrial designs: are applied to a wide variety of industrial products and handicrafts. They refer to the
ornamental or aesthetic aspects of an article including composition of lines or colors or any three dimensional
forms that give a special appearance to a product or handicraft. The design must have an aesthetic appeal.
5. Patents: is an exclusive right granted for an invention – a product or process that provides a new way of
doing something, or that offers a new technical solution to a problem. It provides the owners with protection
for their inventions. Protection is granted for a limited period, generally 20 years.
6. Layout designs (topographies) of integrated circuits
7. Protection of undisclosed information.
The agency of the government in charge of the implementation of the Intellectual Property Code
is the Intellectual Property Office which replaced the Bureau of Patents, Trademarks and
technology Transfer. It is divided into six Bureaus, namely:
1. Bureau of Patents
2. Bureau of Trademarks
3. Bureau of Legal Affairs
4. Documentation, Information and technology Transfer Bureau
5. Management information system and EDP Bureau and
6. Administrative, Financial and personnel Services Bureau
Intellectual property law
● Deals with the rules for securing and enforcing legal rights to inventions,
designs and artistic works.
● Give an incentive for people to develop creative works that benefit
society, by ensuring they can profit from their works without fear of
misappropriation by others.
Copyright law of the Philippines
Republic Act No. 8293
● Took effect on January 1, 1998, under the presidency of Fidel V. Ramos
● A copyright is the legal protection extended to the owner of the rights in an
original work
● In the Intellectual Property (IP) Code of the Philippines, literary and artistic
works include books, writings, musical works, films, paintings and other works
including computer programs.
Types of rights under the law of copyright:
A. ECONOMIC RIGHTS
− Replication of the work, or a portion of the work
− Transformation or dramatization of the original work
− The first public distribution of the original work and each
copy of the work
B. MORAL RIGHTS
− rights of creators of copyrighted works generally recognized in civil
law jurisdictions and, to a lesser extent, in some common law
jurisdictions. Require the authorship of the work be attributed to him
or her, meaning that the author may require that his or her name be
displayed in a prominent fashion on a copy or public distribution or use
of the work
. − To make any transformation or adjustment to the work, or withhold
it from publication
− To oppose any and all mutilation or any other derogatory action to
the work which could potentially be detrimental to the author’s honor
and reputation
C. RESALE RIGHTS
− The author and his or her heirs have the inalienable right to
partake of 5% of proceeds of the sale or lease of his or her
original work. This inalienable right is in effect during the
lifetime of the author, and for fifty years after his or her death.
D. RELATED RIGHTS
− Are the rights of those whose help the author avails of in order
to assist him in producing his work, and distributing this work to
the public. These rights are also referred to as “neighboring rights”
and include the following:
o Rights of performers
o Rights of producers and sound recordings
o Rights of broadcasting organizations
Privacy of Personal and Public Domains
● A network domain is an administrative grouping of multiple
private computer networks or hosts within the same
infrastructure.
● Domains can be identified using a domain name; domains
which need to be accessible from the public Internet can be
assigned a globally unique name within the Domain Name
System (DNS)
What is Domain Privacy?
● When you register a domain name with any provider, your
details (name, address, email and phone number) are
automatically added to a public WHOIS directory. This is a
regulatory requirement for anyone who registers their domain.
● With domain privacy you can hide your personal Information
from public view, protecting you from spammers, data miners
and marketers to reduce unsolicited phone calls and emails.
The Computer Ethics Institute (CEI)
● This was founded in 1985 to serve as a forum and resource for identifying, assessing, and
responding to ethical issues associated with the advancement of information technologies
and to facilitate the recognition of ethics in the development and use of computer
technologies.
● CEI developed the Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics. The eHealth Code of Ethics,
developed by Health Informatics Europe (2005), is "to ensure that people worldwide can
confidently and with full understanding of known risks realize the potential of the Internet
in managing their own health and the health of those in their care." The Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 sets the standards on how security and
confidentiality of healthcare information must be maintained.
● The act also sets the penalties for any breach in security of healthcare data. The Internet
Healthcare Coalition, founded in 1997, was created to promote quality health resources
online and to ensure that consumers and professionals are able to find reliable, quality
information online.
Healthcare policy and nursing informatics as a
specialty
● Nurses have contributed to the purchase, design, and implementation of IS since
the 1970s.
● In 1992, the American Nurses Association (ANA) recognized NI as a specialty.
● Attempts in 1989 to be recognized as a specialty failed, but political forces within
ANA supported the requests when it was repeated in 1992.
● The term NI first appeared in the literature in the 1980’s. -The definition of NI has
constantly evolved since that time, molded by the maturation of the field and
influenced by health policy.
Healthcare policy impact on nursing informatics
practice
● Nursing has experienced a number of shortages in recent history.
● It is predicted that the shortage will result in a large deficit of nurses unless
something is done the shortage will rise from 6% in 2000 to 29% in 2020, or more than
800,000 nurses short of the number needed
● Nursing organizations have been actively advocating for increased federal funding to
expand programs and increase loans, scholarship, and incentives to attract more young
people into nursing.
● In 2002 the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) Commission on Workforce
launched a multiphase project to develop IT that will help support nurses in their day-
to-day Work, thereby reducing the demands of their jobs. *Given the average age of
nurses is 45.2, technology devices would enable some nurses to stay in their careers
longer.
National Health Information Infrastructure
● Another national initiative that will impact NI is the National Health Information
Infrastructure (NHII). This voluntary initiative, involving a three-stage process over
10 years, is intended to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and overall quality of
health and healthcare
● The vision and process for building the NHII is outlined in a report “Information for
Health Information Infrastructure released in Nov. 2001
● NHII calls for comprehensive knowledge based networks that integrate clinical,
public health and personal health information to improve decision making by having
information available to providers.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
(HIPAA)
● A federal law designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the health care system
● HIPAA was passed in 1996 and is intended to improve public and private health programs
by establishing standards to facilitate the efficient transmission of electronic health
information (Public Law,104-191, 1996) • HIPAA preempts state law and payer-specific
variations of data standards; and mandates input from private, standard-setting organizations.
● The law also designates financial setting penalties for noncompliance with standards
related specific transactions.
• To avoid further duplication of effort, the law requires the DHHS to adopt standards from
those already approved by private standards-setting organizations.
● HIPAA has a significant impact on informatics; IT must be designed to comply with Title II
of the act.
● Nurses must be aware of HIPAA and HITECH rules among the most
critical activities o Keep passwords private.
o Do not leave screens containing protected health information
unattended.
o Access charts only of clients to whom you are assigned
o Always verify that you are charting on the correct client's chart and
that the information is recorded accurately
National Agenda for Nursing Informatics
● Health Resources and Services Administration HRSA is responsible for setting
national policy to guide the preparation of the nursing workforce, including
preparation in the area of NI.
● The Division of nursing (DN) recognized the importance of information
management and technology long before the title NI was used to describe the field
of practice and has funded projects focused in this area since 1972.
● Although the DN supported NI projects, the nursing workforce has continued to be
deficient in informatics skills.
● As a result, in 1997 the DN convened the National Nursing Informatics Work
Group (NNIWG) to make recommendations to the National Advisory Council
for Nurse Education and practice. The strategic direction of NI is as follows:
1. to include core informatics knowledge and skill in all undergraduate,
graduate, and continuing education programs.
2. to increase the number of nurses with specialized skills in informatics.
Having more opportunity to complete advanced informatics preparation has
increased the number of NI specialists in practice, but more are needed.
3. to enhance nursing practice and education through informatics projects.
4. to improve faculty skills in NI so that they in turn can promote the
development of informatics competency in students.
Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines
Republic Act No. 8293
an act prescribing the intellectual property code and establishing the
intellectual property office, providing for its powers and functions, and
for other purposes.
● It shall protect and secure the exclusive rights of scientists,
investors, artists and other gifted citizens to their intellectual property
and creations, particularly when beneficial to the people, for such
periods as provided in this act.
cont.
● Intellectual Property Rights Under the Intellectual Property (IP) code are as follows:
1. Copyright & related rights
2. Trademark & service marks
3. Geographical indications
4. Industrial design
5. Patents
6. Layout designs
7. Protection of undisclosed information.
● Information privacy: the client’s right to control how his/her personal health
information is collected, used and disclosed
● Security: refers to the processes and tools that ensure confidentiality of information.
(QCIPA) Quality of Care Information Protection Act,
2016
provides broad protection to quality of care information
● purpose is to promote open discussion of adverse events, peer review
activities and quality of care information, while protecting this information from
being used in litigation or accessed by clients
● Personal Health Information (PHI); any identifying information about an
individual in oral or recorded form, as it relates to their physical or mental health,
their family, donations of body parts or substances, their health number, or an
individual's substitute decision-maker
NETIQUETTE
"Netiquette", or network etiquette, is the code of common courtesy for users of the
Internet.
● One should always use this courtesy when participating in e-mail communications,
discussions, chat rooms, blogs, and all other types of computer communication.
● Internet users should learn the rules of proper netiquette to avoid offending others
with violations of courteous Internet communication.
● Netiquette rules may vary slightly when one is engaging in personal
communications with a close friend, or whether this individual is composing a
professional electronic communication to be viewed by others at work.
● Nurses engaging in professional electronic communications with other healthcare
professionals and/or patients should learn and understand this form of etiquette.
Why should nurses use “Netiquette”?
● Nurses are in an occupation where a strict code of professional conduct is important for both
the nurse and the profession as a whole.
● In order to advance the nursing profession and promote nurses as professionals, these health
care workers should engage in a professional manner in all methods of action and
communication.
● One area of particular importance is electronic communication via the Internet, Intranet, or
organizational electronic mail.
● When one uses this method of communication, he or she may forget to use the traditional
grammar, punctuation, and simple etiquette rules established for more traditional means of
interaction.
● In this manner, the idea of "netiquette" provides individuals, such as working professionals,
with a standard of etiquette that is specifically designed for the electronic communication
methods used by numerous individuals today.
The standards of “Netiquette”
● Some of the standards for basic netiquette include thinking and revising before posting an electronic
communication.
● One should always check a document for spelling and grammatical errors before sending. In addition,
one should remember that a real individual is reading the sent message. In this manner, one should include
the recipient’s name, a greeting, closing, and signature
One should never assume that any communication sent from a work computer is private. In this manner,
one should follow strict netiquette rules when using company computers/Intranet, and one should be
familiar with company computer communication policies
It is important to note that netiquette rules apply not only to communication via computer. One should use
these standards when communicating via electronic devices such as PDAs, Blackberries, and cell phone
electronic mail.
Don’ts of “Netiquette”
● Never send an e-mail or communication when angry. One should always review the
message when he or she is calm.
● Never use profanity in an electronic communication.
● Never send lengthy multiple attachments for the reader to review. Keep electronic
messages short, to the point, and on subject.
● Never use all caps in electronic communication. Capital letters may be interpreted as
shouting.
● Never forward chain letters and chain mail in electronic communications. When
forwarding electronic messages, one should either delete all previous email addresses to
protect the privacy of others or ask the original sender if forwarding is appropriate.
CORE RULES OF NETIQUETTE
Netiquette, or network etiquette, is concerned with the "proper" way to communicate in
an online environment. Consider the following "rules," adapted from Virginia Shea's The
Core Rules of Netiquette, whenever you communicate in the virtual world.
Rule 1: Remember the Human
● When communicating electronically, whether through email, instant message,
discussion post, text, or some other method, practice the Golden Rule: Do unto others as
you would have others do unto you. Remember, your written words are read by real
people, all deserving of respectful communication. Before you press "send" or "submit,"
ask yourself, "Would I be okay with this if someone else had written it?"
CONT.
Rule 2: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life
● While it can be argued that standards of behavior may be different in the virtual
world, they certainly should not be lower. You should do your best to act within the
laws and ethical manners of society whenever you inhabit "cyberspace." Would you
behave rudely to someone face-to-face? On most occasions, no. Neither should you
behave this way in the virtual world.
Rule 3: Know where you are in cyberspace
● "Netiquette varies from domain to domain." (Shea, 1994) Depending on where you
are in the virtual world, the same written communication can be acceptable in one area,
where it might be considered inappropriate in another. What you text to a friend may
not be appropriate in an email to a classmate or colleague. Can you think of another
example?
CONT.
Rule 4: Respect other people's time and bandwidth
● Electronic communication takes time: time to read and time in which to respond. Most people today
lead busy lives, just like you do, and don't have time to read or respond to frivolous emails or discussion
posts. As a virtual world communicator, it is your responsibility to make sure that the time spent reading
your words isn't wasted. Make your written communication meaningful and to the point, without
extraneous text or superfluous graphics or attachments that may take forever to download.
Rule 5: Make yourself look good online
● One of the best things about the virtual world is the lack of judgment associated with your physical
appearance, sound of your voice, or the clothes you wear (unless you post a video of yourself singing
Karaoke in a clown outfit.) You will, however, be judged by the quality of your writing, so keep the
following tips in mind:
● Always check for spelling and grammar errors
● Know what you're talking about and state it clearly
● Be pleasant and polite
CONT.
Rule 6: Share expert knowledge
● The Internet offers its users many benefits; one is the ease in which information can be shared or
accessed and in fact, this "information sharing" capability is one of the reasons the Internet was
founded. So in the spirit of the Internet's "founding fathers," share what you know! When you post a
question and receive intelligent answers, share the results with others. Are you an expert at something?
Post resources and references about your subject matter. Recently expanded your knowledge about a
subject that might be of interest to others? Share that as well.
Rule 7: Help keep flame wars under control
● What is meant by "flaming" and "flame wars?" "Flaming is what people do when they express a
strongly held opinion without holding back any emotion." (Shea, 1994). As an example, think of the
kinds of passionate comments you might read on a sports blog. While "flaming" is not necessarily
forbidden in virtual communication, "flame wars," when two or three people exchange angry posts
between one another, must be controlled or the camaraderie of the group could be compromised. Don't
feed the flames; extinguish them by guiding the discussion back to a more productive direction.
CONT.
Rule 8: Respect other people's privacy
● Depending on what you are reading in the virtual world, be it an online class discussion forum,
Facebook page, or an email, you may be exposed to some private or personal information that
needs to be handled with care. Perhaps someone is sharing some medical news about a loved one
or discussing a situation at work. What do you think would happen if this information "got into the
wrong hands?" Embarrassment? Hurt feelings? Loss of a job? Just as you expect others to respect
your privacy, so should you respect the privacy of others. Be sure to err on the side of caution when
deciding to discuss or not to discuss virtual communication.
Rule 9: Don't abuse your power
● Just like in face-to-face situations, there are people in cyberspace who have more "power" than
others. They have more expertise in technology or they have years of experience in a particular skill
or subject matter. Maybe it's you who possesses all of this knowledge and power! Just remember:
knowing more than others do or having more power than others may have does not give you the
right to take advantage of anyone. Think of Rule 1: Remember the human.
CONT.
Rule 10: Be forgiving of other people's mistakes
● Not everyone has the same amount of experience working in the virtual world. And not
everyone knows the rules of netiquette. At some point, you will see a stupid question, read
an unnecessarily long response, or encounter misspelled words; when this happens, practice
kindness and forgiveness as you would hope someone would do if you had committed the
same offense. If it's a minor "offense," you might want to let it slide. If you feel compelled to
respond to a mistake, do so in a private email rather than a public forum.