There are several legal and ethical issues associated with mental illness conditions among employees at the workplace. It is challenging to comprehend how to address these issues not only legally but also ethically while being respectful about an individual’s confidentiality. The Code of ethics in nursing requires managers and employers to consider reasonable accommodations for employees experiencing mental illness conditions. The law states clearly that no job opportunities are intrinsically dangerous to mental health (Giorgi et al., 2018). Based on standard ethical code in nursing, the primary concentration should be the establishment of whether or not the danger caused was reasonably foreseeable and if the manager, physician, or employer took reasonable required steps to eliminate it (Tonso et al., 2016). Another ethical dilemma present in the case is whether the physicians and F.J could respect the decision of T.C based on the autonomy principles or override his argument that her refusal to leave the unit is based on the beneficence principle. The use of seclusion and restraint at the workplace is another issue affecting the relationship of J.F, the physician, and T.C.
The best way to manage this situation is to start by considering any documentation from a registered medical practitioner verifying T.C’s condition. It is the responsibility of the unit manager to seek clarification on accommodating and reasonable documentation for both parties involved. It is essential to understand whether there is a legal or health care professional involved. Although ethically, it is essential to keep the employee's mental health condition confidential, the problem is that the nursing profession requires leaders to give honest feedback, which also may include a negative response (Kirsh, Krupa, & Luong, 2018). Therefore, in some instances, it is essential to seek employee’s permission. It is the responsibility of the manager to figure out the actual cause behind T. C’s behavior at work, which necessitates the need for factual documentation. Afterward, it will be vital for F.J to conduct a self-audit to establish how best the situation with T.C could be solved. For this reason, to avoid causing conflict at the workplace, it is vital to address the situation and comprehend the variation between the implications of medication versus causes and assess competence.
In conclusion, mental health conditions at the workplace may be challenging to solve, although its symptoms such as stress and anxiety may be easier to spot. T. C continued altercation with other employees, even though she is a competent and qualified nurse, it is an indicator of her unstable mental condition. As such, it is the responsibility of the management team at the telemetry unit to ensure that she receives all the mental assistance that she requires. No occupation around the globe is unwelcoming for mental health. For this reason, ethical dilemmas revolving around mental conditions should be addressed adequately and involve a health practitioner in her treatment.
References
Giorgi, G., Leon-Perez, J. M., Pignata, S., Demiral, Y., & Arcangeli, G. (2018). Addressing risks: Mental health, work-related stress, and occupational disease management to enhance well-being.
Kirsh, B., Krupa, T., & Luong, D. (2018). How do supervisors perceive and manage employee mental health issues in their workplaces?. Work, 59(4), 547-555.
Tonso, M. A., Prematunga, R. K., Norris, S. J., Williams, L., Sands, N., & Elsom, S. J. (2016). Workplace violence in mental health: a Victorian mental health workforce survey. International journal of mental health nursing, 25(5), 444-451.
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