Teaching plan for educating nurses about HIPAA and health information protection

¶ … Teaching Plan for a Course Aimed at Educating Nurses about Health Information Protection.

Lesson Planning and Teaching Strategies

Information technology has provided numerous benefits to health care, one of them being the facilitation of information sharing and transfer of accurate personal health information about patients. Personal health information is one of the most sensitive types of personal information and it is often shared between patients, medical practitioners, researchers, providers and administrators for a variety of purposes, including provision of quality patient care and treatment, managing health care systems and promoting health research and development. However, the storage and transfer of health information in electronic form has raised concerns about data security and patient privacy, particularly because it introduces new vulnerabilities (Klosek, 2011). It is, therefore, imperative for nurses to learn how to balance their patients' right to privacy in regard to personal health information with their need to utilize new methods of information sharing and technology to improve care and treatment for these patients.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, HHS (2015), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule is one example of the government's step towards protecting patients' confidentiality. It establishes national standards to protect individual's personal health information and medical records and it applies to any health care providers that make use of patients' medical information, nurses included. This teaching plan is for a course that seeks to educate nurses on the role they play in health information protection and its importance in patient care. It also includes an assignment using technology in nursing education to evaluate students' learning on the achievement of the project's objectives.

II. Target audience

The security and privacy concerns associated with technology have a direct impact on the work habits of nurses in all health care facilities (American Nurses Association, 2008). Consequently, the purpose of this project is to educate them on the importance of health information protection and their significant role in protecting patient privacy.

III. Purpose

The purpose of this project is to provide insight on the importance of health information protection and the laws that have been put in place to address privacy and security concerns. Addressing these two issues will be of benefit to both the nurses and healthcare organizations at large. They get to understand what they can and cannot do to interact well with patients. Furthermore, once they comprehend the laws that protect personal health information they will be in a better position to protect the patients' personal information, educate patients and families on their rights to information privacy and to take an active role in compliance preparations. It will also facilitate information sharing; encourage investment in information technology by health care organizations and it will encourage patients to share personal health information, all of which will improve the patient care and treatment (Lowrance, 2012).

IV. Timeline

The project will be carried out in two months. The education phase will run for a period of one month during which the stipulated teaching strategies will be used to enlighten the students on all the elements in the course outline. The evaluation will also take one month to evaluate students' learning on the achievement of the objectives stated in the teaching plan and to establish whether they can apply the knowledge learnt in day-to-day operations.

V. Objectives

By the end the learning period, the nurses will be able to:

1) Explain the importance of health information protection.

2) Interpret laws and regulations regarding health information protection as stipulated in the HIPAA act.

3) Create flowcharts or process diagrams that elicit steps involved in recording and dissemination of electronic health records.

4) Demonstrate how they can protect the confidentiality of their patients protected health information when using electronic health records.

5) Understand the role of nurses in health information protection.

6) Make informed decisions when solving ethical dilemmas associated with patient confidentiality and privacy.

VI. Content outline

a) Understanding health information protection

b) HIPPA Privacy Rule

c) Handling electronic health records

d) The role played by nurses in health information protection

e) Ethical dilemmas

VII. Teaching strategies

The project will utilize both evidence-based teaching techniques and technology-based teaching strategies. Winter and Echeverri (2012) explain that evidence-based strategies use objective evidence to guide modifications of instructional techniques. It integrates privacy information with patient values and clinical practice to achieve optimal health outcomes. On the other hand, technology-based strategies make use of electronic technology to convey information. Together, the two strategies enhance the nurses' learning experience.

a) Lectures

The nurses will attend two three hour lectures for the first three weeks and they will be provided with the additional reading materials. Lectures will introduce the students to advancements in information technology and their advantages and disadvantages to the health sector. Important definitions such as the HIPAA Privacy Rule, electronic health records and personal health information will also be addressed through lectures. In depth analysis of the HIPAA Privacy Rule and the basics of recording and dissemination of electronic health records will be included in the three hour lectures. To factor in the aspect of cultural diversity, all reading materials will be available in all languages represented by the nurses in attendance. (See Appendix I and 2 for the lecture timetable and reading materials respectively).

b) Case studies

Case studies will be use to explain electronic information sharing in hospital settings. Fictitious clinical records will be used to help the nurses learn how patient information should be recorded, stored and disseminated. Once the nurses understand how to handle electronic records, it will be easier to explain patient information that is considered confidential and the steps they will need to take to protect this information. The case studies will also factor in cultural stereotypes and beliefs associated with healthcare to assess how the nurses will handle these issues to deal with uncooperative or ignorant patients.

c) Flowcharts and process diagrams

Graphic outlines such as flowcharts and process diagrams will be used to help the nurses understand the interrelationships between electronic records, personal health information and health information protection. They will be referred to during the lectures to reinforce important points. The nurses can also use flow charts to summarize information and reflect on what they have been taught.

d) Technology-based simulation

The University of New Mexico (2015) states that simulation activities involve the use of controlled representations of actual clinical events. This teaching strategy will allow the leaner to assess and interpret different HIPAA Privacy Rules and make decisions based on the information provided. There will be three simulation activities with three different scenarios and each nurse will be expected to participate. Technological-based simulation will appeal visual and kinesthetic learners that may lose attention during lengthy presentations.

e) Role playing

Role playing will be used to address ethical dilemmas and invoke the emotions of the nurses to test their commitment to health information protection. Unlike simulation activities, role playing will involve unscripted scenarios and nurses will be expected to act out problems that may involve disclosing confidential health information for different reasons. Role playing will appeal to nurses who prefer practical learning to theory and will enable them to understand the importance of patient privacy and their role in ensuring private information is protected. Furthermore, the strategy will address the nurses' ability to handle unexpected occurrences.

f) Jigsaws and debates

The jigsaw is a fun and cooperative activity that will test the applicability of the HIPAA Privacy Rule in daily nursing practice. The nurses will be first divided into groups each member will learn about the link between health information protection and patient care, which represents a piece of the puzzle. Each member will then share what they have learnt with the rest of the group members and will depend on the other individuals to provide more information. The group activities will motivate social nurses who work better as a team and will promote a culture of cooperation to ensure the knowledge gained is effectively applied in daily nursing activities. There will also be a debate session that addresses the pros and cons of information technology in healthcare (See appendix 2 for group activities).

g) Video conferencing and webcasts

Using video conferencing, nurses will get to interact with nurses from different cultures across the world and learn the steps taken by different governments to protect patient privacy. The will get to ask question and determine whether the rules and regulations of different countries are applicable in the U.S. Webcasts will also be used to reach nurses who may not be in attendance. Moreover, the problem of language barriers will be eliminated since webcasts make use of animations that convey the message effectively (Orlich et al., 2010). The presentations will be used to reinforce knowledge about protection rules and also about the HIPAA Privacy Rule.

h) PowerPoint presentations and online tutorials

According to UNM (2015) PowerPoint presentations make it easier for students to understand and remember material once the lectures are over. PowerPoint presentations will be used to pose questions to the nurses and identify the points that may need clarification. They will allow for interaction with the students and help them reflect on all the issues addressed. Online tutorials will also present ethical dilemmas regarding health information protection and demonstrate how they should be solved. The participants will then be expected to solve other dilemmas posed by themselves.

Part 2: Evaluation assignment

I. Assignment description: The role of nurses in health information protection

Read the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule as explained by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website. The Privacy Rule is located at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/administrative/privacyrule/index.html. The rule explains the national standards put in place to personal health information, such as medical records and applies to healthcare clearing houses, health care plans, and all health care providers that deal with electronic health records (HHS, 2015). Imagine that you are the senior nurse at your hospital and one of your key responsibilities is teaching about pertinent health issues that relate to fellow nurses, patients and their families. Recently, a group of new nurses joined your hospital and you have been asked to address the issue of health information protection. Prepare a 20 slide PowerPoint presentation that addresses the following components:

a) A summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule

b) The importance of health information protection to nurses, patients and their families

c) The role played by nurses in promoting data security and privacy

You are required to include an original and short Web Quest in your PowerPoint presentation. To learn how to create a Web Quest, read 'Some Thoughts about Web Quests' by Bernie Dodge (University of Tennessee, 2015). The article is located at http://www.utm.edu/staff/grakes/750/750webquest.html. The Web Quest should demonstrate how electronic health records are recorded, stored and transferred. It should also include a short description about the relationship between privacy protection and electronic health records. One slide should present a real or fictitious scenario where a nurse either had to follow a superior's instruction or protect the privacy of a patient, and an ethical solution to the dilemma.

II. Purpose of the assignment

The main aim of the assignment is to test the nurses' understanding of the role of information technology in healthcare, the importance of health information protection and the role played by nurses in protecting health information. It is also intended to test whether the nurses can apply the knowledge gained in the hospital environment, and whether they can make informed and appropriate decisions when faced with an ethical dilemma. This will make them provide good quality care and at the same time protect the privacy of their patients.

III. Instructions

The following are the instructions for the assignment:

1) The PowerPoint presentation should have at least 20 slides on the components provided and should it should also include a short Web Quest.

2) The presentation should target new nurses and therefore, complex terms have to be explained.

3) You should make use of all resources and course materials distributed throughout the learning period. Other peer reviewed sources can also be used.

4) The assignment should follow APA guidelines for citation of sources and writing style. Note that all links used in the Web Quest should be provided.

5) The first slide should contain your name, number and course details and the final slide should contain a reference list for all sources cited.

6) The assignment should make use of proper spelling and grammar. Incorrect spellings and sentence structures will be penalized.

7) The assignment should be submitted by 30th June 2015 and should be posted to the class email with your full names and admission number as the subject. Failure to hand it in by this date will lead to an automatic deduction of 10 points.

IV. Grading Rubric

The grading rubric is provided below:

1

Unsatisfactory

0.00%

2

Less Than Satisfactory

65.00%

3

Satisfactory

75.00%

4

Good

85.00%

5

Excellent

Content: 70.0%

40.0% Access the HHS Web site (read about the HIPAA Privacy Rule. Prepare a presentation on components measured

Does not demonstrate understanding of the privacy rule and cannot identify why it is important to nurses.

Demonstrates only minimal understanding of health information protection. Demonstrates only minimal abilities electronic record keeping

Demonstrates knowledge of the process of health information protection, but has some slight misunderstanding of the e-records and how they should be presented. Provides basic critical thinking and analysis. Does not solve ethical dilemmas

Demonstrates acceptable knowledge of health information protection and the role played by nurses. Develops acceptable solutions to problems. Utilizes some HIPAA examples.