Ethical Scenarios in Health Care
All health care organizations have instituted a code of ethics in which the professionals and students within the field must adhere to. Ethics being, according to the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, an honorable way of life that involves protecting, recommending, and placing concepts of right and wrong behavior in a way that is understandable and approachable for working professionals (Fieser, n/a). When faced with ethical dilemmas, the care provider should weigh all options, think critically, and refer to the code of ethics to ensure the best outcome for the patient. I will analyze scenarios 2 and 10 by discussing the ethical topics involved as well as discuss how I would handle each situation.
Scenario …show more content…
This player happens to be Mary’s husband’s favorite player. Mary starts to call her husband, but then wonders if it is acceptable for her to tell him about the patient. I believe it is unacceptable to tell her husband about the patient. According to Provision 3 of the Nurses Code of Ethics, the nurse must uphold and protect the patient’s right to privacy including maintaining the confidentiality of all patient information (American Nurses Association, 2011). The American Nurses Association also go on to state that if confidentiality is broken by unwarranted reading of patient data or by disclosing recognizable patient information, the patient’s well-being could be threatened while also destroying the trust gained in the health care provider and/or facility (American Nurses Association, 2011). The only information released should be directly related to the patient’s care and well-being and only to those directly involved with the care of the patient (American Nurses Association, 2011). The American Society of Radiologic Technologists essentially have the same policy, as most do, and state “The radiologic technologist respects confidences entrusted in the course or professional practice, respects the patient’s right to privacy and reveals confidential information only as required by law or to protect the welfare of the individual or the community” (American Society of Radiologic Technologists, 2015). Aside from common courtesy to not talk about other’s business, the repercussions of spreading news about an affluent member of her community could be damaging. The patient is a public figure, and news of an ankle injury for a professional football player is big. This is not to say that confidentiality should be less of a priority for non-public figures, but news of his injury could be detrimental to his
All health care organizations have instituted a code of ethics in which the professionals and students within the field must adhere to. Ethics being, according to the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, an honorable way of life that involves protecting, recommending, and placing concepts of right and wrong behavior in a way that is understandable and approachable for working professionals (Fieser, n/a). When faced with ethical dilemmas, the care provider should weigh all options, think critically, and refer to the code of ethics to ensure the best outcome for the patient. I will analyze scenarios 2 and 10 by discussing the ethical topics involved as well as discuss how I would handle each situation.
Scenario …show more content…
This player happens to be Mary’s husband’s favorite player. Mary starts to call her husband, but then wonders if it is acceptable for her to tell him about the patient. I believe it is unacceptable to tell her husband about the patient. According to Provision 3 of the Nurses Code of Ethics, the nurse must uphold and protect the patient’s right to privacy including maintaining the confidentiality of all patient information (American Nurses Association, 2011). The American Nurses Association also go on to state that if confidentiality is broken by unwarranted reading of patient data or by disclosing recognizable patient information, the patient’s well-being could be threatened while also destroying the trust gained in the health care provider and/or facility (American Nurses Association, 2011). The only information released should be directly related to the patient’s care and well-being and only to those directly involved with the care of the patient (American Nurses Association, 2011). The American Society of Radiologic Technologists essentially have the same policy, as most do, and state “The radiologic technologist respects confidences entrusted in the course or professional practice, respects the patient’s right to privacy and reveals confidential information only as required by law or to protect the welfare of the individual or the community” (American Society of Radiologic Technologists, 2015). Aside from common courtesy to not talk about other’s business, the repercussions of spreading news about an affluent member of her community could be damaging. The patient is a public figure, and news of an ankle injury for a professional football player is big. This is not to say that confidentiality should be less of a priority for non-public figures, but news of his injury could be detrimental to his