Navigating legal and ethical issues: Nurses’ role in accessing and using the Death Master File

Navigating legal and ethical issues: Nurses’ role in accessing and using the Death Master File 
Daily Nurse; by Maya Payne; 7/22/24 
Nurses have a great deal of responsibility when managing sensitive information, including access to the Death Master File (DMF), because they are healthcare professionals entrusted with patient care. This article explores the moral and legal issues that help nurses use the DMF in their practice in a morally responsible manner. ... Explore this detailed resource on DMF guidelines for further insights into responsibly using the Death Master File in healthcare settings. 
Editor's Note: About 10 years ago, the Social Security Office declared me as "dead." Yes. This affected everything financial and legal in my life. My husband even received standardized condolences from business databases that had his name as my key contact. Clean up? A mess. Cause? The best that the Social Security Office could discern was that someone, somewhere had entered a clerical mistake. I will never know. The impact of how this Death Master File is used--legally, ethically, and otherwise--cannot be overstated.