A 20-year-old male college student presents to the campus health clinic. The patient reports no significant past medical history. He has been experiencing painful urination for several days and yellow discharge from his urethra. The nurse asks the student about his sexual activity. He reports engaging in unprotected sex, and is concerned that he may have contracted a sexually transmitted infection. The nurse sends a sample of the urethral discharge to the microbiology laboratory. The laboratory reports gram-negative diplococci and many neutrophils on the smear, suggestive of gonorrhea.
-The patient asks the nurse to keep his diagnosis confidential.What is the nurse's best response?

Question

A 20-year-old male college student presents to the campus health clinic. The patient reports no significant past medical history. He has been experiencing painful urination for several days and yellow discharge from his urethra. The nurse asks the student about his sexual activity. He reports engaging in unprotected sex, and is concerned that he may have contracted a sexually transmitted infection. The nurse sends a sample of the urethral discharge to the microbiology laboratory.  The laboratory reports gram-negative diplococci and many neutrophils on the smear, suggestive of gonorrhea.
-The patient asks the nurse to keep his diagnosis confidential.What is the nurse's best response?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The nurse is required by law to report certain sexually transmitted infections, including gonorrhea, to the health department for public health tracking and prevention purposes. However, the nurse should also advise the patient to notify any recent sexual partners. HIPAA laws still apply, and the patient's confidentiality is maintained outside of the legal reporting requirements.

A 20-Year-Old Male College Student Presents to the Campus Health