Healthcare Rules and Accrediting Agencies Impacting Nursing Practice
HIPAA
One of the universal healthcare rules for nursing practice is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This federal law was developed to safeguard the confidential information and security of patients’ medical data relating to their medical records (Hebda et al., 2018). For nursing practice, this is compulsory since nurses must be responsible for the safety of the personal information of all clients. Nurse practitioners must obtain permission directly from the patient they disclosing their information.
TJC
The accreditation agency related to nursing practice can be called The Joint Commission (TJC). TJC is a non-profit organization that accredits medical institutions in the United States (Hebda et al., 2018). Its significance for nursing practice is that they are required to provide patient safety according to the standards of this organization.
The Role of Registered Nurses in Policy Development and Informatics
The Registered Nurse’s role in creating and maintaining nursing informatics policies is to ensure the effective use of relevant knowledge. When creating policies, nurses can share their experiences using various information technologies (Hebda et al., 2018). This is useful in accounting for the real state of affairs when implementing new standards. While administering a tablet, nurses have an important role in monitoring and reviewing its effectiveness. In the context of policy implementation, nurses can create an enabling environment by facilitating a better implementation of informatics in clinics.
Personal Experience
In my recent practice, I always carefully followed the HIPAA rules to provide patients with the most pleasant hospital experience. This can be achieved, for example, by implementing data security rules. Thus, information that is personal is not made public. In addition, in my practice, I participate in TJC readiness activities to improve the care I provide and achieve more effective patient outcomes. Giving input and knowledge to new policy development is also part of my full-time job, and it helps me better plan how I can positively influence my activities.
Reference
Hebda, T., Hunter, K. & Czar, P. (2018). Handbook of informatics for nurses & healthcare professionals. (6th ed.). Pearson.