What are three different examples of when confidentiality may have to be breached?

Asked by: Delfina Kertzmann  |  Last update: November 27, 2025
Score: 4.4/5 (62 votes)

Leaving confidential information unattended in a non-secure area. Disclosing confidential information without proper authorization. Discussing confidential information in the presence of individuals who do not have the "need to know' to perform assigned duties. Improper disposal of confidential information.

What are some examples of breaching confidentiality?

Medical records being disclosed to a third party without your consent. An email containing confidential information is sent to the wrong person. An employee discusses their employer's affairs with someone outside of the organisation.

What are the 3 reasons to break confidentiality?

When to Break Confidentiality
  • If the client may be an immediate danger to themself or another.
  • If the client is endangering another who cannot protect themself, as in the case of a child, a person with a disability, or elder abuse.
  • When required to obtain payment for services.
  • As required by state or federal laws.

What are the 3 main exceptions to the confidentiality issue?

Exceptions to the Duty of Confidentiality
  • Waiver. A person who confides in a professional can waive the protection of professional secrecy. ...
  • In Case of Danger. ...
  • Committing a Crime. ...
  • Infectious Diseases. ...
  • Inspection and Investigation by Professional Orders. ...
  • Search for the Truth. ...
  • Protection of Children.

When may confidentiality need to be breached?

Murder, manslaughter, rape, treason, kidnapping, child abuse or other cases where individuals have suffered serious harm may all warrant breaching confidentiality.

What is Confidentiality? Different types, Examples and breach of confidentiality

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What is the most common breach of confidentiality?

A classic example of a breach of confidentiality is mistakenly sending Client A an email that was meant for Client B. In this instance, you've shared Client B's sensitive information with a third party without their consent. This could either be by you as the business owner or one of your employees.

What are 5 examples of confidentiality?

The following information is confidential:
  • Social Security number.
  • Name.
  • Personal financial information.
  • Family information.
  • Medical information.
  • Credit card numbers, bank account numbers, amount / what donated.
  • Telephone / fax numbers, e-mail, URLs.

What are the 3 limits of confidentiality?

The following situations typically legally obligate therapists to break confidentiality and seek outside assistance: Detailed planning of future suicide attempts. Other concrete signs of suicidal intent. Planned violence towards others.

What is an example of a confidentiality issue?

Breach of confidentiality examples
  • A company laptop containing sensitive client data is stolen.
  • An employee shares confidential information about a client with family or friends.
  • An employee discloses information they deem not to be of a confidential nature.

What is a breach of confidentiality in the workplace?

Anthony Gold. United Kingdom April 19 2024. A breach of confidentiality in employment occurs when an employee discloses sensitive information belonging to their employer without authorisation from the employer.

What is an example where confidentiality would be broken?

Here's a confidentiality breach example: you accidentally send sensitive information about a client to another client or a third party who shouldn't have access to it.

What are the situations to breach confidentiality?

Breaching confidentiality is only justified in specific circumstances where there's a severe threat to the patient or others, legal mandates require disclosure or public health concerns require sharing information to prevent harm.

What are three 3 consequences of a breach of client confidentiality?

The consequences of a breach of confidentiality include dealing with the ramifications of lawsuits, loss of business relationships, and employee termination. This occurs when a confidentiality agreement, which is used as a legal tool for businesses and private citizens, is ignored.

What would be an example of violating a person's confidentiality?

Common confidentiality breach examples include:

Insider threats, such as employees or contractors misusing access to information; Accessing confidential data over public or unsecured networks; Discarding documents or devices without proper data destruction; and.

In what instances are you permitted to breach confidentiality?

Situations in which confidentiality will need to be broken:

There is disclosure or evidence of physical, sexual or serious emotional abuse or neglect. Suicide is threatened or attempted. There is disclosure or evidence of serious self-harm (including drug or alcohol misuse that may be life-threatening).

Which are examples of breaches of client confidentiality?

Final answer: Examples of breaches of client confidentiality include a nurse discussing client information in a public space, a nurse sharing computer login credentials, and a nurse revealing health information to an employer without client consent.

Which example may illustrate a breach of confidentiality?

Here's some breach of confidentiality examples you could find yourself facing: Saving sensitive information on an unsecure computer that leaves the data accessible to others. Sharing employees' personal data, like payroll details, bank details, home addresses and medical records.

What are the 4 examples of the exceptions to confidentiality?

Therapists and mental health professionals are legally obligated to report in several situations:
  • Child abuse or neglect: All states require professionals to report suspected child abuse or neglect. ...
  • Elder abuse: ...
  • Threats of violence: ...
  • Severe mental illness:

What are the three different types of confidential information?

Three main categories of confidential information exist: business, employee and management information. It is important to keep confidential information confidential as noted in the subcategories below. Customer lists: Should someone get a hold of your customer list, they could steal customers from you.

What are three confidentiality examples?

Some examples of confidential information include;
  • Contact details.
  • Bank details.
  • Medical records and history.
  • Personal information such as name, birthday, sex, address.
  • Company reports whether sales, financial.

When can confidentiality be breached?

Such disclosures are permitted if the employee reasonably believes that there is criminal activity, a failure to comply with a legal obligation, a miscarriage of justice, or a risk of health or safety to an individual. Injustice may be considered a suitable cause for breach.

What are the five confidentiality concerns?

The five pillars of information security—Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability, Authenticity, and Non-repudiation—form the bedrock of modern cybersecurity practices. As threats grow more sophisticated, a nuanced understanding of these principles becomes not just valuable, but essential.

Which example represents a breach of confidentiality?

Final answer: The example that represents a breach of confidentiality is discussing patient information in public places, as it involves unauthorized disclosure of patient information. Other options are related to billing fraud rather than privacy violations.

What are three examples of when confidential information can be released?

Examples of situations where information, normally considered to be confidential, might need to be shared:
  • A person is likely to harm themselves.
  • A person has been, or is likely to be, involved in a serious crime.
  • A person is likely to harm others.
  • Your safety is placed at risk.

What are the three rules of confidentiality?

Under the Security Rule, covered entities must:
  • Ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the ePHI they receive, maintain, create or transmit.
  • Identify and protect against threats to the security or integrity of the information.
  • Reasonably protect against impermissible uses or disclosures.