The principle of confidentiality is closely related to the concept of privacy and is both a legal and an ethical requirement (3). While laws about confidentiality and ethical obligations apply to people with all health conditions, confidentiality in HIV nursing and midwifery has acquired a greater significance, highlighting pre-existing weaknesses within the healthcare system.  

Ethical management of information involves respecting privacy and confidentiality without compromising health or safety. Considerations for nursing and midwifery practice include implementing strategies to avoid inadvertent breaches of confidentiality – such as:  

• ascertaining to whom the patient has or has not disclosed their HIV status and communicating and documenting this information.  
• developing sound policy and systematic procedures requiring staff to check who is present with the patient when discussing discharge plans or medications to ensure HIV status is not disclosed.  
• using numbers instead of names in clinic waiting rooms  
• informing patients about limitations to confidentiality. For example, this could entail advising them of the legally mandated requirement for the nurse to inform child protection authorities if they disclose sexual contact with a minor (32).