Discussion 6: Ethical Considerations & Emergency Response

Identify an event that you experienced or one that you have read about that presented ethical concerns similar to Hurricane Katrina & COVID 19 as presented in the module.  You can use one of these events (Hurricane Katrina or COVID 19) or another event to discuss. Respond to all questions in narrative format. 

Primary Post

1. Understanding the pressures that healthcare professionals were faced with, how do you think you would fare in similar conditions?
2. What do you think about the behavior and decisions made by healthcare professionals during this event? Were you shocked by any life-or-death decisions made?
3. What legal and ethical standards must health care personnel be expected to uphold in a disaster? Should they—or any professional—be held to the same standards that operate during normal conditions? In other words, is there a gray area in ethics when things go disastrously wrong? (cite a source for ethical considerations- could be a professional nursing organization and/or other source specific to your work setting)
4. Ultimately, who is the most responsible for the tragedies that occurred? The hospital owners? The staff? The local, state, or federal government? Explain your rationale.
5. What lessons have been learned from this event from an organizational perspective and from a professional perspective?