American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

In this scenario, the focus is on patient confidentiality and privacy, which are fundamental principles in healthcare. The nurse practitioner can only disclose medical information to the patient, in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), unless the patient has explicitly authorized the release of their information to another individual, such as a family member.

This protects the patient's right to privacy and ensures that sensitive health information is shared only with individuals of the patient's choosing. Therefore, discussing a patient’s health information solely with the patient is the correct and ethical approach. It emphasizes the importance of consent and respects the boundaries of patient autonomy.

Involving another party without the patient's consent would violate these principles, which is why the other options do not align with proper protocols for information disclosure.