Hildegard Peplau came up with the phases of the nurse-patient relationship. What does the nurse address during the orientation phase with a patient diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder?

Choice A reason: HIPAA requires signed patient consent for releasing medical information to third parties, ensuring patient autonomy and confidentiality. This legal standard applies to mental health records, protecting sensitive data, making this the correct choice for information release.

Choice B reason: Verbal consent, even with a guardian, is insufficient under HIPAA, which mandates written authorization for protected health information. This ensures clear documentation, making this choice incorrect, as written consent is the legal standard.

Choice C reason: Psychiatrist approval does not replace patient consent for releasing information. HIPAA prioritizes patient authorization, and provider approval alone violates privacy regulations, making this choice incorrect for legal information release protocols.

Choice D reason: Health care team permission is irrelevant to releasing information, as only the patient’s signed consent is legally required. Team collaboration does not override HIPAA’s patient-centered consent rules, making this choice incorrect.

Choice A reason: Asking about feelings explores emotions but does not address the patient’s question about neurotransmitters. Educational queries require informative responses to enhance understanding, not redirection to feelings, making this choice non-therapeutic and incorrect for the patient’s need.

Choice B reason: Explaining neurotransmitters as brain communication chemicals directly addresses the patient’s question. It provides clear, accurate information about their role in mood and behavior, aligning with patient education principles in psychiatric nursing, making this the correct, informative response.

Choice C reason: Focusing on medication avoids explaining neurotransmitters, failing to address the patient’s educational need. It shifts focus prematurely to treatment, which may confuse the patient, making this response less effective and incorrect for providing the requested information.

Choice D reason: Deferring to the doctor dismisses the nurse’s role in patient education, undermining trust. Nurses are equipped to explain basic concepts like neurotransmitters, and this response fails to meet the patient’s need for understanding, making it non-therapeutic and incorrect.