Nursing Informatics: Ethical Considerations for Adopting Electronic Records

School districts are commonly adopting electronic storage systems, including electronic health records. Included in this adoption is a move toward cloud-based record storage systems to handle the increasing volumes of data. Deciding which system to adopt is especially difficult in times of tightening school district budgets. While there are several options to consider, including the outright purchase of a proprietary system or choosing one of a relatively new group of free programs, lead nurses must work to ensure that student information is protected and that any chosen system complies with privacy laws. This article provides a case study and presents legal and ethical considerations related to maintaining the privacy of health records in the school setting.