Nurses constantly invade patients' intimacy and privacy when delivering nursing care; however, they rarely discuss the aspects involving such issue. Nursing literature on this theme is scarce, which has motivated the development of this study with the purpose to sensitize nurses as to the relevance of and need for reflection on this matter. Ethical, legal and moral questions that permeate the invasion of privacy are pointed out, thus showing the responsibilities of nursing professionals. The actions of Committees of Ethics in Research as well as those of Nursing Ethics Committees in Organizations are discussed as mechanisms for the control and protection of individuals, mainly approaching the conduct and attitudes of nurses in the care-giving process. This study emphasizes the need for discussions and reevaluations of the roles of such mechanisms and of the quality in nursing care, since protection to patients' privacy is still deficient.
privacy; nursing care; nursing ethics