Shadowing the NMC Code, I prioritised the needs of those who use or require care services.

make sure to treat people with dignity by being as kind, respectful, and compassionate as

possible. Most weekends, I was able to put my personal life on hold in order to visit patients

in the neighbourhood and play with them. Since many of the patients I treat do not share my

cultural background, I try to avoid passing judgement or making assumptions instead of

appreciating diversity and personal preference. I value and respect my co-workers’

contributions and see teamwork as the best strategy for providing quality healthcare. For

instance, I once met a patient who complained of feeling abandoned and lonely at home.

Mostly, I would suggest that he keep himself busy by watching television or reading books.

This did not lessen his sense of loneliness, though. I was able to shift my perspective by

asking other other members of the team if there was anything we could do to improve the

patient's condition, which ultimately led to a solution.

During the course of my placement, I have observed and am aware of the need to get patient

consent before discussing a patient's condition with a relative. It can be challenging to do this

when a patient doesn't want family members and friends to know about his or her medical

condition. I came across this with an elderly patient who had been diagnosed with early

psychotic symptoms and was adamant that only his family members should know. One of his

friends kept enquiring about the condition the patient was in. I suggested he contact a family

member who had the authority to share information because I was unable to give her the

information he was seeking. The person was quite upset that I couldn't tell him the

information that he was looking for, but I explained my reasons that I had to protect the

patient's information. He acknowledged his understanding and agreed to speak with the

patient's relatives.
I was aware that the NMC Code and the Trust's confidentiality policy both require me to

respect a person's right to privacy and forbid me from sharing information with people I do

not know. It was challenging because the person appeared to be very concerned about the

patient's condition, but I was able to explain calmly why I was unable to give him the

information.

In future, I would still take precautions to avoid disclosing personal information if the

circumstance arose again. Maybe I will ask patients if they would like to name someone

to contact if it's possible. I will also make use of the lecture notes to boots my knowledge on

confidentiality issue