Question

Nurses, Pharmacy Technicians, Lab Assistants and other health care workers are expected to make decisions on a daily basis and many spend their entire working day trying to solve problems in order to get their work done. Most health care professionals, if you asked them, would tell you that they have good reasons for the decisions they make, and that they have a process for problem solving. But, do they?

• Do they use defined and established elements of reasoning for decision-making and problem solving?
• Do they recognize the assumptions they make about clients and situations and the negative results those assumptions can have?
• Do they avoid mistakes in reasoning?

The purpose of this assignment is to help you see how you make decisions and problem solve. Read the 3 scenarios and answer the following questions for EACH scenario. Be sure to explain why you have answered in the way that you have.

1. What assumptions have been made in each scenario?

(definition of assumption – a thing that is accepted as true or certain to happen, without proof)

2. What are the consequences if those assumptions are incorrect?

(definition of consequence – a result or effect of an action or condition, usually thought of as a negative)

3. Put yourself into the situation and tell me how you would have handled it differently.

Scenario #3: 5 points

You are working the night shift in ER, and you've had more patients than usual. The local police phone to say that they handled a call from a local bar for the paramedics. Now the police are headed into the station for a break, and they mention that they have a man in their patrol car, "out-like-a-light," that they picked up in the bar and they "Just want to let you know." Another drunk you think as you hang up; probably fell off a bar stool. In fact, you're happy the police picked this one up, because the paramedics would have brought him to the ER.

Answer 1

In the above situation from the view of that nurses, being her, I assumed the degree of severity of the situation so simple though the issues in their manifestations were not that simple like unconsciousness and a fall. Also there could have been an assumption of them to be less standard people, being from a bar. Actually rather than assumptions there showed purposeful negligence due to tiredness from hectic duty. It is sure that there can be many consequences if the assumption of that situation was wrong. The consequences can be very bad if one among them had an alcoholic acidosis or any sort of such emergency and the next one can be nearly dead due to the fall. The consequences will never stop as it will haunt throughout from the sound of conscience. There is a chance for prosecution for medical negligence even, if any harm happened for their lives.

Hope this helped you. Happy learning. All the best. Stay safe. Please do not hesitate to give thumbs up.