Patient privacy and confidentiality

All students are required to keep information about patients and their healthcare confidential. Working at the health facility you will have access to personal information about patients.  Breaches in confidentiality are serious and may impact your placement outcome.

The following are examples of breaches of confidentiality:

  • Taking identifiable patient information, including handover sheets, home. (Note - handover sheets are to be disposed of in a confidential documents bin prior to leaving the ward).
  • Accessing information that is not relevant to the patient you are allocated to care for, such as accessing results for a friend or relative.
  • Discussing confidential or sensitive information in an inappropriate or public area.
  • Providing patient information over the phone.
  • Emailing patient information via public networks (such as internet email) or sharing materials via social media.
  • Taking or sharing photos or videos of patients, staff or clinical placement sites.
  • Discussing personal details about other students or staff members or sharing personal telephone numbers or other private information.

For more information, view the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights. 

Conditions of placement termination

Students may have their placement terminated if their performance is deemed unsafe and puts a patient, a patient’s family, staff members, themselves or fellow students at risk. 

The following behaviours may result in a judgment of unsafe practice:

  • Being inattentive, lacking clarity in expression, drowsy, or unable to communicate effectively. 
  • Working outside of the designated scope of practice
  • Not following the guidance of the RN, NUM and/or facilitator.
  • Any event where public, staff or patient safety may be compromised. 

You may also be asked to leave if your behaviour is deemed unprofessional.  This may be considered non-academic misconduct and includes:

  • Swearing, violent and abusive language or physical behaviour and/or general rudeness
  • Being disrespectful to facility staff, UTS employees and patients
  • Being under the influence of alcohol or illicit substances.

Use of email and social media on placement

Your UTS email is an official communication channel. When using your UTS email you're expected to be professional. It is:

  • The only email address that the Clinical Practice Unit is allowed to use to contact you
  • Your responsibility to regularly check your UTS email

Students must be mindful to adhere to UTS Code of Conduct and local facility social media policies when on placement.  Utilising social media, or building content for social media is prohibited whilst on placement and students must not post personal comments that identify be identified by UTS uniform or discuss any component of your clinical placement site.

Social Media includes blogs, podcasts, video and audio sharing sites, online groups and social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, WeChat, Tinder and WhatsApp to name a few.