A technologist who has completed a procedure on a patient leaves the area grumbling,"I hate to do AIDS patients because I am afraid of catching the disease." A member of the housekeeping staff hears the technologist and asks who the AIDS patient is so he can pass the information along to his coworkers for safety reasons.The technologist responds by giving the patient's name and room number.After the incident,housekeeping personnel refuse to clean the room.One person from housekeeping tells the story to members of the housekeeper's church,where the patient is also a church member.After learning of the patient's condition,the church asks the patient not to return to church.What type of complaint might be brought against the technologist?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The technologist's statement about being afraid of catching AIDS from the patient is a defamatory comment that has caused harm to the patient's reputation. By disclosing the patient's name and room number to the housekeeping staff, the technologist has violated the patient's right to confidentiality. The subsequent refusal of housekeeping personnel to clean the room and the patient being asked not to return to the church are direct consequences of the technologist's actions. Therefore, a complaint of defamation can be brought against the technologist.

A Technologist Who Has Completed a Procedure on a Patient