Discussion Board Emergency Nursing - 1 - Essay Example

NURSE In this situation, Mrs. D has been put into danger, and the risk of sepsis has been increased, by my colleague’s unprofessional action, their “special” way of securing the cannula with tape from their own pocket. Mrs. D is of advanced age and is in a particularly at-risk group when it comes to the spread of infection, as the immune system weakens with age, and she is almost ninety. Of course, thinking and communicating on one’s feet is important, but it is not always possible. Sometimes colleagues do what they think is right, and there is simply no time to stop them.

The most effective thing to do would have been to tell the colleague immediately and firmly that the cannula fastener of their device would not be appropriate, brought the patient at greater risk of harm, and needed to be re-done in a sterile environment. However, the case does not allow for this sort of communication: as often in real world, the action is complete before I can even think to react. The question, ethically, at this point becomes: what should be done about this colleague’s behavior?

Obviously, if they are using this “special method” and are proud of it, they are going to do it again. The question of ethics here, then, becomes one of whistle-blowing on a colleague. The Mrs. D case shows that it is perhaps most important in whistle-blowing to know the difference between a mountain and a molehill. Generally, everyone is much happier without whistle-blowing. There is no internal division or political nastiness as more people find out about the note of dissent, or even take it up and start crusades of their own.

The workplace continues to operate smoothly and efficiently, and cohesion is even heightened by the successful handling of the situations in which it is decided that the problem was actually a molehill. No one has been reprimanded, fired, or has formed any sort of vendetta or grudge. Professional communication within the workplace continues on in a friendly and expedient manner, and ethical commitment returns to normal: “a public commitment to ethics serves at least two functions: it addresses the concerns of the public and it reinforces a bottom-line-justified interest in ethical behavior on the part of the officers” (Newton and Ford, 2002, p. 31). In the case of Mrs.

D, the problem is not a molehill. What my colleague has done here is risked the life of a client. And it is my personal and professional responsibility to keep the workplace a safe and functional environment in which harm is minimized. In this case, I have directly observed behavior that can be directly and undeniably related to the definite probability of harm to others, perhaps such as Mrs. D developing sepsis, an infection, and even dying due to her weakened condition and advanced state of biological aging.

I watched while my colleague was showing gross incompetence in a repetitive and harmful fashion, in this case, and the workplace is compromised to begin with, and needs fixed. In this case, whistle-blowing would not be out of line. Being a team player is one thing, but the line definitely must be drawn somewhere. And it is up to the individual to know personally where that line is, and act accordingly. In this case, I would see the line and act. I would immediately go to management with this issue, and report my colleague.

In the real world, a code of ethics may look good on paper, but there are often problems in organizing a situation so that everyone plays by the rules. However, establishing a code of ethics is a good start towards making employees more ethical in their behavior. REFERENCECurtis, K & Ramsden, C. & Friendship, J. 2007. Emergency & Trauma Nursing. Elsevier, Sydney Newton, Lisa H., and Maureen M. Ford (2002). Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Business and Society. New York: McGraw-Hill.