Question

Case: You have recently been hired as an OR nurse at Community Hospital. Recently divorced and the mother of two very small children, you were thrilled and relieved to get a job with these hours at the only hospital in this small mid-western city. However, on your second day, you are confronted with an unusual situation. A 35-year-old woman is scheduled to undergo the surgical removal of a benign uterine tumor. While preparing for surgery, you discover that the two physicians performing the surgery are using equipment they are neither familiar with nor authorized to use. In addition, a sales person from the medical device manufacturer that makes the equipment used in the surgery operates the controls while the physicians perform the procedure. You express concern that you are not trained in assisting with the equipment. The physicians tell you not to worry because the sales person is operating the controls. You quietly ask another nurse if that is allowed by hospital policy and she says no. However, she shrugs and whispers, “They do it all the time. It’s not worth making a fuss about if you want to keep your job. Just go along and do what you’re told. It’ll be fine.”

Write a summary, The individual case analysis is intended to encourage your personal exploration of a given case based solely on individual reflection. The paper must include all of the elements of the 8-Step Model for Ethical Decision Making, and include a personal justification for your selected action.

8-Step Model for Ethical Decision Making-

1. Gather the facts.
2. Define ethical issues.
3. Identify the affected parties.
4. Identify the consequences.
5. Identify the obligations.
6. Consider your character and integrity.
7. Think creatively about potential actions.
8. Check your gut.

Answer 1

1) Gather the facts:

The main facts in this case are Physicians are using the equipment they are neither familiar with nor authorized to use.

2) Ethical issues:

The major ethical issues, as perceived by the participants in order of their importance, were: (1) Patients' Rights, (2) Equity of resources, (3) Confidentiality of the patients, (4) Patient Safety, (5) Conflict of Interests, (6) Ethics of privatization, (7) Informed Consent, (8) Dealing with the opposite sex

The 4th point clearly tells, we should take care of our patients and its our ethical duty, but in this case where the physicians using an unauthorized equipment, which may create a complications in the surgery.

Consequences:

Unauthorized equipment can be used only at crucial times where there is no scope of proper medical equipment available but in hospitals to use these will be against a law and may face legal consequences.

Obligations:

As in this case which are completely against the nursing ethics, and the other nurse is telling They do it all the time. It’s not worth making a fuss about and they are repeating the same mistakes everyday.

Consider your character and integrity:

Dont fuss about if you want to keep your job. This statement clearly tells that if they oppose to this unethical things, they may fire you from the job, at this time, it shows your real character and integrity. If you keep calm at this point of time to save your job, then there is no reason for your studies and the ethical learnings you have learnt in your classes and the oath which you have taken to take care of the patients was failed here.

Think creatively about potential actions:

At that point of time, you have to take correct decision, either you can request the physicains to stay her away from this surgery and later on you can take actions against them by complaining to the superiors rather then arguing or doing anything wrong.

Check your gut:

At that point of time, it was real test to your character and guts, as the senior physcians and nurses were they and if you start questioning them regarding the unauthorized equipment, it shows the guts in you.