Ethical decision making, Healthcare professionals w/ an expertise in law?

When is it ok to lie to a patiant regarding their health status. What are the laws? Can the parents of a 16y/o HIV positive girl refuse to allow healthcare professionals to tell her of her condition? The first provision of the American Nurses Association (ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses includes the following in its interpretation: Patients have the moral right to be given accurate, complete, and understandable information in a manner that facilitates an informed judgment; understandable information in a manner that facilitates an informed judgment; to accept, refuse, or terminate treatment without deceit (p. 151).

One you never lie, period,

You can tell her you have discussed the matter with her parents

Children are incompetent - period. They cannot make informed health care decisions by definition. They are as incompetent as people who are psychotic or comatose. That's just the law.

Parents of children, therefore, hold their children's rights. The parents are the patient. The parents must be informed; the parents must have access to the medical records; the parents must be allowed to make decisions. If the parents don't want the child told, the child must not be told.

And you are breaking no ethical guideline by abiding by the parent's wishes.

It doesn't mean you can't talk to the parents and ask them to reconsider, but be prepared to have your opinions ignored. And if you tell the child against the parents' wishes, be prepared to be unemployed.