RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The aim of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) is to regulate the collection, processing, and use of personal information; to avoid the infringement of personal rights; and to promote the reasonable use of personal information. Clinical nurses are frontline patient caregivers, and they are the most likely to have access to patients' personal information. If these nurses do not clearly understand the PDPA, they may violate the law and affect patients' rights. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge level of clinical nurses regarding the PDPA and related factors, with the findings intended to serve as a reference for continuing education. METHODS: A cross-sectional research design was adopted. A purposive sample of nurses working at a regional hospital in southern Taiwan was selected. A self-administered survey incorporating the self-developed Nurses Knowledge Scale for Patient Personal Data Protection Act (NKSPPDPA) was used to collect data from May to June 2017. RESULTS: A total of 269 valid responses were received (return rate: 89.67%). The mean score on the NKSPPDPA was 68.80 out of a total-possible 100 points. Knowledge related to patient privacy and penalties was relatively low. Moreover, working department, job title, and participation in PDPA-related on-the-job education were found to be significant predictors of NKSPPDPA score, while years of experience was found to have a low correlation only. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that clinical nurses have knowledge gaps regarding PDPA, especially in terms of privacy and penalties. Nurses should participate in continuing education to address these knowledge gaps.
