Module 6: Signature Assignment - My Growth as a Moral Agent

Phase 1:

This was a very good book. I read it from start to finish in about three days. It was quite shocking to me that this woman just continued to have children with different men, and had no job, and just expected the men in her life to take care of her and her children. Living in that war torn nation sounded like it was completely chaotic, and she really had not a lot of time in her life before she came to the US for peace and clarity.

The characteristics of her family that I found to be members of a vulnerable population were that there was active war going on in her country. They were continually on the move, and had a hard time finding food to eat, as well as proper medical care. There was refugee camps, and people being killed for no reason all around her. This in my mind makes her and her family a part of this vulnerable population.

Phase 2:

For me, I identified the most with Louise. She had the most impact on me because her story is remarkable, and I can't imagine what it would be like to be put into that situation of being quarantined for ebola. Obviously, it would affect every aspect of my life. I would imagine it would be quite hard and heartbreaking to be treated with the level of bias that she was treated.

Kaci Hickox was a very interesting and somewhat disturbing situation. The fact that she defied the quarantine in my mind was her right to do. She was completely asymptomatic, and had no symptoms of ebola at all. I think all the attention that was put on her was wrong, and sad. I think the government officials completely over reacted.

When I reflect on this whole story, it makes me realize how much I want to help people of vulnerable populations, and how much I want to make a difference in peoples lives.

I think that I would uphold my obligation to my clients and patients to keep their information private, and really tell the media and members of the media the information that is truthful, accurate, and honest.

Collapse Subdiscussion Jesica Banda

Jesica Banda

Jun 19, 2021Jun 19 at 12:08pm

Hi Brian,

I feel that Louis has made decisions the best to her ability, had she been able to grow up in a different environment and had better options she would have made different choices. The entire from beginning to end was unfortunate but great changes were made because of this. As a future public health leader, I identified my responsibilities to align with bioethical principles of fidelity, justice, and non-maleficence.

Collapse Subdiscussion Latona Bates

Latona Bates

Jun 19, 2021Jun 19 at 11:52pm

Hello Brian,

This was a a great post this week! I enjoyed reading it. When I reflect on this past discussion, I felt that Louise's sole reason here was to have children and raise them. Yes, they were in a warfare, and they had to always pass round and scrounge for meals, however they were all collectively. I sense that Louis has made selections the high-quality to her capability, had she been able to grow up in a special surroundings and had better options she would have made different selections. The complete from beginning to stop was unfortunate but terrific modifications were made due to this. As a destiny public health leader, I diagnosed my responsibilities to align with bioethical standards. I too believing in helping people of vulnerable population. I like to be one that makes a difference within the community. look forward to reading more posts for the weeks to come.

Dillon Dinh

Jun 19, 2021Jun 19 at 11:56pm

Hi Brian,

I also enjoyed the book thoroughly. Also I identified with Louise the most because I have experiences with quarantine and family members getting coronavirus. I agree with your statement that Kaci had the right to defy the quarantine due to the facts that she had no symptoms. As a healthcare worker I imagine that she is putting the safety of others first before making her decision.

Dillon Dinh

Jun 16, 2021Jun 16 at 10:06pm

Something that stood out to me during Louise's description of Liberian culture is that families live together generations at a time. This means that it is not strange for children in their 20s and 30s to be living with their parents and grandparents. I find this interesting because in our culture we are almost expected to leave the house by our mid 20s.

Collapse Subdiscussion Brian Davis

Brian Davis

Jun 17, 2021Jun 17 at 10:04pm

Dillon,

I have found in all of the books that I have read that this is a very common thing for families all over the world. I have often wondered how and why people would want to live with their parents when they are adults and have families, but I guess this is what happens every else pretty much. I could not wait to get out of my parents house when I turned 18. I am a musician, so when I graduated high school, I drove with a friend of mine to Hollywood, California to try to become a rock star! Well, that never happened, but my point is that in reading this book, I felt that Louise's sole purpose at least until she got to this country was to have babies, and raise them. Yes, they were in a war-torn country, and they had to continually move around and scrounge for food, but they were all together.

Dillon Dinh

Jun 19, 2021Jun 19 at 11:52pm

Phase 2

I identified with Louise the most during this story. I think I am able to connect and relate to her at some level because both of my parents got Coronavirus and during that time was extremely hard on us. During that period of time everyone in my family was stressed and on edge due to quarantine and us doing everything we can to care for my parents and them not spreading it to my brother and I because we all had to be in the same house at the time.

2. Consider the experience of Kaci Hickox, RN and Public Health Professional. Do you think she responded appropriately to the call for mandatory quarantine? Why or why not?

I believe that Kaci could have better responded to the mandatory quarantine. Although I do believe that she has a right and based on the science and no evidence that could lead to her being a carrier. I do think she could have done more and quarantined a little bit more just in case. Also due to the huge news at the time and outbreak of the people I think she could have complied to the quarantine for a little bit for everyone to calm down and to not anybody at risk 100% for sure.

3. Based on these reflections, how will you as a public health professional interact with members of a vulnerable population?

Based on these reflections, something I will do as a public health professional while interacting with vulnerable populations is to look at the science and facts at an unbiased level and that everyone with respect and dignity. Having cultural competence I think also helps with interacting with vulnerable populations

4. Based on these reflections, what ethical obligations do you have as public health professionals when communicating with members of the media about public health crises?

Ethical obligations I have when communicating with members of the media is to tell the honest and unbiased truth. I believe this because telling honest and accurate information is best in the long term for public trust and it allows people to make informed decisions with the most accurate information available.

Collapse Subdiscussion Latona Bates

Latona Bates

Jun 18, 2021Jun 18 at 8:32pm

Phase 1: Louise Troh’s response to Thomas Duncan’s Ebola case

4. How did Louise’s employment and experience as a certified nurse’s aide impact her response to Mr. Duncan’s illness and hospitalization? Do you think she acted appropriately? Why or why not?

The case of Thomas Duncan of contracting Ebola virus and his subsequent death is unfortunate because it presents utter show of negligence by the medical personnel at the Dallas hospital where he was receiving his treatment. Going through the previous history of a patient, such as data on travel history, is an important procedure when making upright diagnoses and decisions on the condition of a patient. This is a fact that Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas chose not to consider, leading to a potentially avoidable circumstance— the death of Mr. Duncan. Unlike his medical personnel, Mr. Duncan’s family, led by his wife-to-be, Louise Troh, did a significant job in managing his early symptoms and potential spread of the virus from Troh’s apartment.

In response to Duncan’s illness, Louise used her experience as a certified nurse’s aide in containing the symptoms that her fiancée was exhibiting. With her daughter’s support, Troh ensured that Duncan was kept warm by covering him with blankets and fully dressing him in warm cloths like socks and heavy pants. As a nurse aide, it is often a practice for one to care for their patients in the simplest but most abstract way possible. This was visible in Troh and her family. I think Troh and her daughter went an extra mile to exhibit a show of great experience by taking Duncan’s temperature. This was a show of experience in the nursing profession because she saw a visible sign of extreme redness of the eye that could potentially mean there is an underlying condition. Upon doing this, Duncan’s body temperature was found to be at 103F, which was way above the normal body temperature of a healthy human. This was very professional and the decision to call for an ambulance was also commendable.

Compared to the nurses at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, I think that Louise acted appropriately to consider Duncan being exposed to Ebola virus. It is appropriate because she knew the hospital would be the safest place both for him and her family. However, the nurse at the Dallas facility saw this fact as inappropriate even though Duncan stated that he came from Liberia and exhibited symptoms that were synonymous to Ebola. Taking a decision to quarantine herself and her family after it was determined that Duncan had Ebola was also an appropriate move from Louise. Having been in contact with Duncan since he arrived from Liberia, Louise and her family had potentially been exposed to the virus. As such, they were in a position to develop Ebola symptoms and potentially infect other people, leading to an outbreak in their locality. It was also thoughtful of her family to buy sanitizers to disinfect Duncan’s beddings and the house in general. Not using Duncan’s mattress and opting for a makeshift one was also commendable. Perhaps these simple measures that Louise and her family adopted could have been the reason they did not contract the virus, having been so close to Duncan to the point of hugging one another.

Phase 2:

After experiencing quarantine and also contracting COVID myself along with my daughter. I can actually relate to how they felt. I began to feel really sad and depressed. I felt as though I was in a bubble with me and my 2 children. With Louis worrying and anxiety feeling would weigh on his mental health. Everyone handles situations differently; some are extra touchy that others and I would actually have been distressed by the way they had been vexed.

2. Consider the experience of Kaci Hickox, RN and Public Health Professional. Do you think she responded appropriately to the call for mandatory quarantine? Why or why not?

I feel Kaci Hickox did not respond appropriately. I accept as true with taking proper pre-caution to keep away from the spread of a disease, particularly one which has no remedy and may cause on the spot casualties is important. She should not put other individuals lives at risk.

3. Based on these reflections, how will you as a public health professional interact with members of a vulnerable population?

When I mirror on this complete story, it makes me understand how, I want to assist human beings of vulnerable populations, and how much I need to make a distinction in ones life. I am one that like to help other and treat others how I want to be treated.

4. Based on these reflections, what ethical obligations do you have as public health professionals when communicating with members of the media about public health crises?

Morals are shaped from the inborn values. Moral is a machine of ideals that is taught for figuring out desirable or bad while values are private beliefs or something that comes from inside. I believe in having good moral values. I am required to be sincere which would imply being truthful, make selections that could gain the network in a superb way and enhance their health, and to keep in mind options that could gain most people of the population.

Edited by Latona Bates on Jun 19 at 11:07pm

Collapse Subdiscussion Brian Davis

Brian Davis

Jun 19, 2021Jun 19 at 10:08am

Latona,

I thought the book was very good. Heartbreaking, but good. I good lesson in humility, in my opinion. I was sad when I read in the book when he died. It was such a tormented life. Louise was an a very strong woman, yet I felt like her only job when she was still in her country was to have babies, and live off of the men she had children with. I guess different cultures do different things. It was unfortunate that medical personnel didn't do more to look at Thomas's records, and see what was going on before he got here. Louise's experience as a nurses aide helped with Thomas's symptoms. Her daughter was and is very smart, and was very helpful. I am not sure why the nurses at Texas Health Presbyterian acted the way they did. In conclusion, I believe it was Louise and her daughter that acted the way they did to prevent them from getting ebola.

Edited by Brian Davis on Jun 19 at 10:09am

Collapse Subdiscussion Jesica Banda

Jesica Banda

Jun 19, 2021Jun 19 at 12:24pm

Hi Latona,

This case identified the need for public health officials to be involved in informing the public on matters related to disease especially new diseases. I feel this would have greatly decreased harassment towards the family. The death of Thomas Duncan raised awareness to flaws in our healthcare system and helped improve procedure when dealing with unknown diseases. COVID has made us experience quarantine, but it does not compare to what Louis and her family experienced.

Dillon Dinh

Jun 19, 2021Jun 19 at 11:59pm

Hi Latona,

I have similar experiences with quarantine and COVID with some members of my family getting it at some point and both of my parents getting it around the same time. This time was hard for all of us and I felt like I was also in a bubble and felt lost and did not know what to do. I like how you said that we should treat others how we want to be treated because that is true. No one wants to be treated poorly so why would we treat others in that way? I believe that is important and a mindset everyone should slowly realize and get better at.

Collapse Subdiscussion Jesica Banda

Jesica Banda

Jun 18, 2021Jun 18 at 10:08pm

Phase 1

Question 7

Describe the response of the media. Was it appropriate, helpful, or harmful? Why? How did the media reports impact the public?

The media coverage brought awareness to the issue but was mostly harmful to the family. I feel the media coverage provided the demand for answers. The citizens concern provided a force for the change required in healthcare to be able to process and identify illness better not only to avoid casualties but to protect all people from harm.

Louis and her family were often harassed. As the first case of Ebola in the U.S., citizens were concerned and afraid to contract the disease. Education on the matter was Louis’s request to inform Americans of their health for her family to be left alone and stop the harassment.

Phase 2

4. Now that you have discussed the details of the case, engage your intellectual empathy. Which member of the surviving family did you identify with the most? Imagine that you are that person. Really take a few minutes to imagine what it would be like to be quarantined, how it would affect your work and personal life, what your grief would be like, and what it would be like to be treated with fear and bias by others.

After experiencing quarantine, for contracting COVID, I have a small sense of what they may have felt. In no way will I ever fully understand but after weeks of not being able to leave my house, not seeing my family and not knowing what would happen next or when I would be cleared it did take a toll on me. I started to feel depressed. The fear and bias Louis experienced would have taken an even greater toll on my mental health. Everyone processes situations differently; some are more sensitive that others and I would definitely have been affected by the way they were harassed.

4. Consider the experience of Kaci Hickox, RN and Public Health Professional. Do you think she responded appropriately to the call for mandatory quarantine? Why or why not?

I feel Kaci Hickox did not respond appropriately. As a future public health worker, I believe taking proper pre-caution to avoid the spread of a disease, especially one that has no cure and can lead to immediate casualties is necessary. She should consider the great good for the nation and avoid risking the lives of others.

3. Based on these reflections, how will you as a public health professional interact with members of a vulnerable population?

When interacting with member of a vulnerable population I will rely on scientific information to educate the people on issues related to disease. Education on diseases, procedures and recommendation by accredited organizations is what I would rely on to help the people of the communities understand the importance of recommendations, such as a quarantine, as well as improve their knowledge of a disease so they won’t experience fear or be ignorant in situations such as these.

1. Based on these reflections, what ethical obligations do you have as public health professionals when communicating with members of the media about public health crises?

Ethically I am required to be honest which would mean providing accurate information to communities, make decisions that would benefit the community in a positive manner and improve their health, and to consider options that would benefit the majority of the population.

Collapse Subdiscussion Latona Bates

Latona Bates

Jun 19, 2021Jun 19 at 11:32pm

Hello Jesica,

I strongly believe too that this case diagnosed the need for public health officials to be worried in informing the general public on individuals associated with sickness in particular new illnesses. When reading the case I do believe that the media did share lots of light on the various healthcare issues. They demanded answers so that a change could be brought about and to protect our people. It was sad that Louis and her family were being harassed but they were able to handle it. Being educated was a main factor for them however, their main objective was to be left alone and not be harassed anymore. The death of Thomas Duncan raised awareness to flaws in our healthcare gadget and helped enhance process whilst handling unknown sicknesses. COVID has made us revel in quarantine, however it does not evaluate to what Louis and her own family experienced.