Individual Case Report

Consider in your answer how Carol might have reacted if she was the patient or her spouse, parent or child "as the patient'!

She would be angered by the fact that she had been ordered to report in a specific day yet the medical assistant had not clarified the order. This is because she would be in pain and trying to fight back to receive medical services. She would also have been guilt considering she is a medical assistant and that she has not even bothered to confirm an order from the physician. She could also have reacted in an outburst full of sadness considering how she had failed to cater for a relative or spouse putting their lives on the line. She could also be remorseful, considering her position in the hospital to help patients visit their doctors would make her feel sorry considering how she handles the patients without a sense of humanity. Carol would also be disappointed if she was the patient by the poor services that are delivered in hospitals by the support staff.

Discuss' what ethical issues you would be concerned with

I would be concerned with issues such as access to health care for all. This is because the patients were not being reached in time. The service delivery in the hospital was poor and needed s my improvements. According to State Board of Dental Examiners (2015) I would be concerned by the malpractice and negligence carried out by the medical staff. This is because the doctors did not provide the necessary details before considering the patient's conditions. I would be concerned by the negligence the medical staffs carry out to the patients by not having time to check their prescriptions. This is because it causes death or leads to serious health issues and diseases such as cancer. I would also be concerned with the medical errors that occur in the hospital where doctors give prescriptions that are inappropriate and cannot be adhered to. I would also be concerned about patients’ confidentiality where it would require all medical staffs to pursue confidence while serving the customers as it will create hope in the lives of our patients. I would address these issues in order to improve the standards in service delivery.

What action would you take if you were a member of the governing body sitting in the waiting room observing this incident?

I would carry out institutional stewardship by intervening in the situation and helping the patient access the doctor in time without delay or cause harm to her life. I would also help the institution by creating awareness on the importance of service delivery to the patients. I would also help in building an enabled Information Technology platform where patient order can be easily accessed and checked into in time. I would also raise a concern to the board to terminate the jobs of the uncaring and reckless medical personnel in order to avoid medical errors that could destroy the reputation of the hospital. I would advocate for enhanced service delivery in compassion, respect and kindness to our patients (Pozgar, 2014).

References

Dahlkemper, T., & Anderson, M. (2013). Anderson's nursing leadership, management, and professional practice for the LPN/LVN in nursing school and beyond. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis.

Pozgar, G. (2014). Legal and ethical issues for health professionals (4th Ed.). New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

State Bd. of Dental Examiners v. FTC, 135 S. Ct. 1101, 574 U.S. 1236, 191 L. Ed. 2d 35 (2015).