Porteous Joan
General Hospital OR Department, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, MB.
Can Oper Room Nurs J. 2005 Sep;23(3):12-4, 16.
Occasionally perioperative nurses are involved in the complex role of caring for medical-legal evidence while also advocating for the patient's right for privacy. Appropriate management of evidence may be the deciding factor in the outcome of a criminal investigation. Understanding the importance of evidence is the first step in learning how to prevent its unintentional destruction during the surgical procedure. Our first consideration with every patient is to provide safe and efficient care. In the OR, cooperation with the police is balanced with the patient's right to privacy and confidentiality of their health care information. This is not always an easy task. Perioperative nurses have a responsibility to their patients as well as to investigators to do what is appropriate, since our actions can have direct effects on the outcomes of criminal investigations. Understanding the importance of evidence is the first step in learning how to keep evidence from being destroyed. Hospital documentation is often accepted in a court of law without challenge.
围手术期护士偶尔会承担复杂的职责，既要保管医疗法律证据，又要维护患者的隐私权。对证据的妥善管理可能是刑事调查结果的决定性因素。了解证据的重要性是学习如何在手术过程中防止无意中销毁证据的第一步。我们对每位患者的首要考虑是提供安全有效的护理。在手术室中，与警方的合作要与患者的隐私权及其医疗信息的保密性相平衡。这并非总是一项容易的任务。围手术期护士对患者和调查人员都负有责任，要采取适当行动，因为我们的行为会对刑事调查结果产生直接影响。了解证据的重要性是学习如何防止证据被销毁的第一步。医院文件通常在法庭上被毫无质疑地接受。
