Are nursing notes considered PHI under HIPAA?

Nursing notes are indeed considered Protected Health Information (PHI) under HIPAA because they contain health-related data that can identify an individual. PHI encompasses any information that relates to an individual's health status, the provision of healthcare, or payment for healthcare that can be linked to a specific individual. Since nursing notes typically include observations about a patient’s health, treatment, medications, and other private details, they fall under the category of PHI regardless of the presence of personal identifiers. This protection applies regardless of who accesses the notes, ensuring that patient information remains confidential and secure as mandated by HIPAA regulations.