ACME Medical Centre Case Study
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ACME Medical Centre Case Study
Nursing is a profession that is bound by humane values that has utmost respect for human life. Ethical dilemmas are faced in this profession more often. They can be defined as problems that have no satisfactory resolutions. According to Burkhardt and Nathaniel (2013), the choices made in many situations cannot be satisfactorily be defined as to being good or bad. For instance the decision that Margaret makes to go back into the explosion to help her patients, a risky decision could vary with other nurses. Provision three in the code of ethics expects a nurse to advocate and actively strive to protect the rights, safety and health of her patients. Provision five expects a nurse to care of themselves. This situation is a clear ethical dilemma that Margaret was faced with. She upheld her duty to others from herself. That is the core value of nursing profession which seeks to respect the sanctity of human life.
Altruism is an important value in nursing. It is the duty of a health practitioner to provide utmost healthcare to patients in need (Pamela, 2013). It is important to take charge and responsibility whenever an opportunity presents itself. Nursing is a noble profession that seeks to avert human suffering and promote human dignity through care. A nurse owes the same responsibilities to self as to others. In this regard it is important to note that a nurse is obligated to uphold her integrity, safety, competence and strive for both personal and professional growth Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2013).
The most prominent alternative way of solving this problem is delegation of duties. It is very clear that the environment is too risky for just a female nurse to rescue the patients. Positive personal values are important in such situations. Peter and Joseph should instead help to rescue as many patients as they can. This way, the nurse would provide any possible first aid to the rescued patients. Team work should have been the core of operation in such a situation, rather than seeking personal deliverance. Some of the options for solving the problem include; they should help save themselves first before rescuing others. Secondly, John should follow Margaret as the remaining groups wait for help. Lastly, they should be going with Joseph’s and Peter’s suggestion.
In the first alternative; if John and Joseph follow what Margaret suggest rescuing those trapped downstairs, they could either succeed in their mission or fails to find their way back. When everyone remains, the chance is that those agents calling for help will die of burn-related injuries due to fire or suffocate due to the presence of thick smokes. There will be a possibility of Margaret succeeding saving few individuals. Also, the possibility of fire blocking her or may kill her on her mission of rescuing the victims downstairs. Should John incase agree to follow Margaret, the chances of saving more lives? There is also a possibility that they might fail to return successfully if the fire gets worse.
Rescuing the infant child should first before considering another alternative. Secondly, we will try to adopt John’s and Margaret’s suggestion of saving those people crying for help. If it is not manageable due to a maybe increase of fire the last alternative can be applied and in this case, every man for himself. It is better to save the five than to perish all. From the situation as it appears, a life of the infant who was sick comes first. Hence, the child and the mother should be rescued from the place. Secondly, those who were calling for help will be considered. But in this case, the situation will depend on. If the fire is not worse, all except Mary and the child will help to rescue the victims. But if not, then no option rather than watching them perish despite physiologically we will be disrupted.
References
Burkhardt, M., & Nathaniel, A. (2013). Ethics and Issues in Contemporary Nursing. New York: Cengage Learning
Pamela J. G. (2013). Nursing Ethics and Professional Responsibility in Advanced Practice. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers