Question

Henry works for a large metropolitan health service as a (HCP) physiotherapist and specialises in respiratory physical therapies for Intensive care patients post intubation. Over the last month Henry has explored his options of continuing to work due to the prevailing risks associated with COVID 19. Henry has sought counsel from his friends in relation to the issues of him working whilst he is also a parent with his wife Catherine and 2 children Josie 5 and Declan who is 11. Henry has a few thoughts and options to explore, and these include taking his long service leave for the next 8 weeks. Taking leave without pay for a period of six months. Henrys central concern is around protecting his children and wife from being infected with COVID 19 as the risks of workplace exposure are very real. Henry finds himself in conflict with his duty of care and worries about his family should he continue to work. He discusses his quandary with his line manager, who suggests that should he contract this illness he will be supported by the health facility and that he should secure accommodation away from his family whilst he works. Over the past week Henry has become even more distressed with having to work with the ICU team to decide how they ration the beds available to them and how they prioritise who receives care in their unit of 10 beds .1. Outline the health care practitioners obligations to the patient. 2. Explain the ethical breaches in relation to the health care staff obligations within the case study. 3. Explain the concept of non-maleficence as it relates to this case study. 4. What are the obligations of health care practitioners as outlined in AHPRA’s social media policy? 5. Discuss the concept of dignity and how respecting dignity is challenged in the case study

Answer 1

1. Health care practitioner obligation to the patient are

1. Duty to care the patient in taking decision regarding in taking up of the case

2. Duty to care regarding types of treatment to be give to the patient

3. Duty of care in providing treatment to the patient

2. Ethical breach in relation to the health care staff obligation. Health care staff has the right to work safely in the work place such as Employees action does not cause injury to own and others and use of protective equipment in the work place, reporting any illness or any issues with concerned manger, refusal of work in case of illness. Health care staff should have responsibility to work to give care to the patient in the times of COVID and other pandemic periods. If the staff continuing working during pandemic period may be tiring to the health care staff, but obligation to give care increases. Health care staff is involved in taking care of corona patient in intensive care unit, even more stressed about the family protection and plan to take to leave for 8 weeks and without payment for 6 months. Employees’ responsibility is to care the patient. So the health care staff consulted with his manger regarding his family protection and he planned to continue to work in the intensive care unit. Health care staff is distressed; he breached his ethics of employee and plan to continue to work. Health care obligation is increased to give care to the patient in the times of pandemic period. If he breaches the duty of care that affect the patient and quality of care in times of COVID 19.

3. Non malefience: non malefience is not harming the patient. The health care staff is responsible for not harming the patient in the times of pandemic period. IF the healthcare staff should not deny the care in the caring of patient with COVID 19. If the health care staff takes leave, the affect the patient and become harm to care. It is the responsibility of staff to provide continues care and not harming the patient in any means. So Health care staff consulted with manager about taking leave. The manager advised him to take secure accommodation to protect his family and continue to work to save the patient. Thereby the health care staff should take responsibility to provide good quality care to the patient in times of COVID19.

4. Health care staff has obligations to set professional boundaries of conduct. Health care staff have obligation to comply with confidentiality and privacy, to comply with professional standards, maintain professional obligations, and not providing false information, misleading information

5. Health care staff has responsibility to provide to dignity care to the patient. Each patient should be cared by the health care staff in equal way. The patient should be treated equallyirrespective of the color, age, race, health status and provide care to the patient. The patient should be respected with dignity of care in times of covid 19. even the risks higher in the times of COVID 19, it is responsibility of protect the patient by rationing the beds. by ratioing the patient according to the priority, the dignity of care would be affected.