Discussion: The Missing Needle Protector

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Case Study Overview
Ethical Issues
Ethical Decision-Model
Communication Approaches in the Case Study
Proposed Solutions
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Healthcare providers need to ensure that they provide the best care service to all patients. Nonetheless, this becomes relatively challenging in certain situations since most of these professions undergo significant challenges due to their dedication to their care provision dedications. Critical advancements in technology have had a direct role in medicine, causing different instances of ethical dilemmas. These ethical issues often remind physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers of the complications of the healthcare industry. As a result, it is essential for individuals in this industry to consider the ethical decision model at all times to prevent mistakes and ethical issues. All situations in the medical sector should be assessed carefully using the ethical decision-making model, including moral awareness, moral judgment, and ethical behavior.

Case Study Overview

The Missing Needle Protector involves Hopewell Hospital’s administrator of clinical amenities called E. L. Straight. In most leading healthcare organizations, a handful of healthcare providers offer patients with adequate care. These individuals often make complex or straightforward mistakes that make it challenging to deliver appropriate care. The Hopewell Hospital’s management put Straight in a prominent position in the hospital in an attempt to make crucial changes in improving patient care. Among the primary most significant issues put forth by Straight was taking practical steps to limit the privileges of Dr. Cutrite, who had physical and mental slips in recent years. Nonetheless, before this approach is adopted, Dr. Cutrite performs an operation that turns out to be catastrophic.

One afternoon the operational room administrator went to Straight’s office specifically to report the case that Dr. Cutrite could have made a medical mistake. The error involved Dr. Cutrite leaving a plastic needle protector in the stomach of a recently operated patient Mrs. Jameson. The supervisor highlighted that he was unsure of these allegations but assumed that it was the suitable protocol to report the incidence to enable an appropriate action to be taken. Straight asserts that the patient must be taken back to the operation room to remove the needle protector. On the other hand, Dr. Cutrite assures Straight that the needle protector is harmless to the patient. She documents that the protector will have minimal or no discomfort and would probably fail to realize that she has it in her belly. Dr. Cutrite further points out that the needle protector is not life-threatening, even though a severe health concern is possible.

Ethical Issues

The ethical concerns in this case study revolve around the needle protector left in the patient’s body by Dr. Cutrite. The operating room supervisor chose to report the issue to Straight due to his concern about the patient’s well-being. More specifically, the operating room supervisor reported the case to Straight despite Dr. Cutrite’s insistence on letting the matter be. Analyzing the issue resulted in Straight opting to take the patient back to the operating room and rectify the problem without telling the patient. Straight understood that telling the patient would potentially result in legal implications. Another ethical concern that Straight faces is confronting a veteran physician who would complicate the issue and potentially lead to him losing his job. Straight has the patient’s best interest and health; however, the situation appears to be overwhelming, mainly because he does not want to deal with the veteran doctor.

Ethical Decision-Model

There exist three distinct aspects of the ethical decision-making model. Capella (2020) postulates that the ethical decision-making model includes moral awareness (determine the importance of an ethical decision), moral judgment (identifying what is right or wrong), and ethical behavior (doing what is correct). According to the case study, the operational room administrator and the clinical services director demonstrate moral awareness by illustrating that there is an ethical dilemma. Moral judgment is evident in the case when the supervisor, considering that she was not supposed to take action, took the initiative to inform Straight. Additionally, ethical behavior is highlighted by Dr. Cutrite when she demonstrates that she is reluctant to address the problem. This points out that she does not want to do what is suitable for the patient and the healthcare facility.

Communication Approaches in the Case Study

The operating room supervisor demonstrates effective communication by telling the director of clinical services. This highlights excellent communication because he uses the right communication channel by using the right protocol and channel (Carmack & Harville, 2020). She also realizes that information could be wrong and indicates that she could be wrong about it. On the other hand, Dr. Cutrite demonstrates ineffective communication when she fails to notify her team of the situation as well as the patient. She assumed that the needle protector was relatively small and did not want to give lousy patient feedback that would potentially put her job at risk and tarnish the facility’s record. Straight was worried and did not want to cause concern among the veteran physicians, thus, demonstrating poor communication. All the staff involved could have used open communication irrespective of the consequences involved.

Proposed Solutions

Past studies have highlighted that medical errors are among the leading causes of loss of life among patients. Herr (2020) claims that medical errors come third in causing deaths after heart disease and cancer, with most of these errors caused by poor judgment. The case study demonstrates that the persons involved in the mistake, Dr. Cutrite and Straight, do not want to notify the patient. This will allow the patient to make their decision. Straight believes he could rectify the problem without the patient’s permission and knowledge. This is unethical, which could be addressed by the Straight and Dr. Cutrite being honest. Additionally, the healthcare providers could consider practicing beneficence as a solution to the problems. This could involve making decisions in the patient’s best interest to avoid causing more harm. A solution, in this case, could be to discuss the issue with the patient and help her understand that it is crucial to go back to the operating room and rectify the problem.

Conclusion

The case study points out that Straight wants to do what is suitable for the patient. However, he knows that the issue will be more complex and may risk his job when facing the veteran doctors. Nonetheless, if Straight does not take up this approach, the patient could face medical complications that might lead to death. As a result, it is ethically correct to prevent the patient’s death by adopting the decision-making model to make the right choice for the patient and the facility in general. Adopting the insights put forth by the decision-making model would provide practical solutions to the issue.

References

Capella, U. (2020). Capella University website. Retrieved from Ethical Decision-Making Model: Web.

Carmack, H. J., & Harville, K. L. (2020). Including Communication in the Nursing Classroom: A Content Analysis of Communication Competence and Interprofessional Communication in Nursing Fundamentals Textbooks. Health Communication, 35(13), 1656-1665. Web.

Herr, J. (2020). Ethical decision-making model. Web.

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