Another obligation of health care workers under discussion is isolating themselves if they suspect themselves of being infected even if it is not definite. In other words, they have the duty to isolate patients and also are obligated to isolate themselves when needed. In the front line, heath care workers have the closest contact with Ebola patients and they account for about 10% of the current Ebola patients number through contact without correct infection control precautions and inadequate barrier nursing procedures (World Health Organization, 2014). However, if health care workers are legally obligated to isolate themselves is actually not clearly defined in their role obligations. Historically, quarantines to control infectious threat
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Severely ill patients need to be isolated, yet when a case is unverified or when the individual was just exposed or even was suspected of being uncovered, the restricting of freedom appears to be problematical (Bayer & Fairchild, 2004). Under harm principle, it is only serious harm to others which causes damage, against others’ will and restrict their liberty that can warrant intervention, not harm to self (Feinberg, 1987). Accordingly, an individual has the right to not seek medical help and resist the treatment of his own disease according to harm principle for it is themselves that they are hurting. In this case, it is undeniable that health care workers have the right to liberty and are not obligated to expose the privacy and report the heath status. Mill’s principle of harm clearly defined that one shall have the freedom to act as long as his action is not deprive others liberty or impede their efforts to obtain it (Mill, n.d.). Each individual has the right to conduct towards his own health, whether bodily or mentally and spiritually even if others consider it as wrongful or foolish (Mill, n.d.). This means liberty stands on the cornerstone of no harm towards …show more content…
What is more, in West Africa, isolation of health care workers means taking away the hands of health providing at the same time. The severely affected area has expected health care worker shortage during the epidemic of Ebola, which means taking away the helpers can be harsh sometimes. Isolating only because one has the possibility of being infected may cause acute harm to some patients by taking away or delay their treatment. For instance, one health is worker realise he was not covered well during one funeral, thus he isolate himself and also report the list of other workers whom he work with. This means more workers are taken from the front. The patients who were taken cared by the people in isolation list may have to have low-quality care, some may even lose the access to health care for a period of time. During the isolation, other unpredictable and avoidable damage may presents due to lack of comprehensive care and instruction. Most importantly, whether they are really infected or not is not even certain. During this period, if more people are infected, who to be blame is unsure.Obviously it is unfair to define that the isolated workers are causing harm, but they are the root of the harm. Consequently, how should health care workers prioritise
Severely ill patients need to be isolated, yet when a case is unverified or when the individual was just exposed or even was suspected of being uncovered, the restricting of freedom appears to be problematical (Bayer & Fairchild, 2004). Under harm principle, it is only serious harm to others which causes damage, against others’ will and restrict their liberty that can warrant intervention, not harm to self (Feinberg, 1987). Accordingly, an individual has the right to not seek medical help and resist the treatment of his own disease according to harm principle for it is themselves that they are hurting. In this case, it is undeniable that health care workers have the right to liberty and are not obligated to expose the privacy and report the heath status. Mill’s principle of harm clearly defined that one shall have the freedom to act as long as his action is not deprive others liberty or impede their efforts to obtain it (Mill, n.d.). Each individual has the right to conduct towards his own health, whether bodily or mentally and spiritually even if others consider it as wrongful or foolish (Mill, n.d.). This means liberty stands on the cornerstone of no harm towards …show more content…
What is more, in West Africa, isolation of health care workers means taking away the hands of health providing at the same time. The severely affected area has expected health care worker shortage during the epidemic of Ebola, which means taking away the helpers can be harsh sometimes. Isolating only because one has the possibility of being infected may cause acute harm to some patients by taking away or delay their treatment. For instance, one health is worker realise he was not covered well during one funeral, thus he isolate himself and also report the list of other workers whom he work with. This means more workers are taken from the front. The patients who were taken cared by the people in isolation list may have to have low-quality care, some may even lose the access to health care for a period of time. During the isolation, other unpredictable and avoidable damage may presents due to lack of comprehensive care and instruction. Most importantly, whether they are really infected or not is not even certain. During this period, if more people are infected, who to be blame is unsure.Obviously it is unfair to define that the isolated workers are causing harm, but they are the root of the harm. Consequently, how should health care workers prioritise