Abstract ▼ AI-Helper

Purpose: This study was aimed to describe the nurses’ knowledge, awareness and performance level of the patient’s personal information protection and to find out the related factors associated with the nurses’ performance for protecting the patient’s personal information. Methods: A cross-sectional ...

Purpose: This study was aimed to describe the nurses’ knowledge, awareness and performance level of the patient’s personal information protection and to find out the related factors associated with the nurses’ performance for protecting the patient’s personal information. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was used and the data were collected in 2012. Participants were 420 professional nurses who had worked in the general units of seven medical hospitals in South Korea. A questionnaire was distributed to nurse managers of seven hospitals, who distributed it to 420 nurses, 351 of whom responded (response rate 83.6%). Nine were discarded due to incomplete responses, leaving 342 for data analysis. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 18.0 Window program. Results: The levels of nurses’ knowledge, awareness and performance about patient’s personal information protection were not high - moderate or less. Among subjects’ characteristics, age, education level, and clinical experience year were statistically significantly related to nurses’ performance for patients’ personal information protection. Among organizations’ characteristics, one variable ‘whether it has a shredder or not’ was statistically significantly related. Also, there was a statistically significant positive relationship between nurses’ awareness about patients’ personal information protection and nurses’ performance for. In addition, the nurses’ performance score for protecting patients’ personal information was higher for people who had heard about the Personal Information Protection Law or attended education programs related to personal information protection than people who hadn't, with statistical significance (p<.05). Conclusion: To increase nurses’ performance for patient’s personal information protection, we need to enhance nurses’ awareness about patient’s personal information protection. For this, nurses’ self studies and organizational education programs related to personal information protection will be needed. Also organizational support, such as shredder equipment, making a related rule, and so forth, should be provided. These findings can be used in developing effective action strategies for nurses and medical organizations to protect patients’ personal information. Further research is required to identify other factors related to the nurses’ performance for patients’ personal information protection.

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