Context
The case study draws upon a conflict of interest situation, where the coordinator needs to decide towards whom his ethical responsibility lies. He has crucial information, relating to life and death matter of a patient but that information is strictly confidential. The dilemma he faces is which ethical boundary he needs to break.
In health practice doing the right thing at the right time is the most important thing or as it is said in Duty of care—“the obligation to take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions which one can reasonably foresee would be likely to injure another, also the duty of people in particular circumstances and occupations to protect and control others.” (Department of Human Services ‘Duty of care’). It is important for us to reflect on our values and commitments as well as intuitions and emotions.
Whereas values that inform customer practice involves integrity, which includes reliability, so if the coordinator tells on the informant, then there would be problems with his integrity.
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health (2008) suggests that to lead and coordinate national improvements in safety and quality identity issues and priorities need to be resolved. It is thereby imperative that the practitioner adhere to the guidelines set by the home in such regards because he needs to check how his values and emotions are at par with the organizations, and what he thinks is the right thing to do might not be what the organization feels. And the situation also calls for the practitioner to foster an atmosphere of respect for a multiplicity of views.
Health/Human Services
Basically the case study is based on an old home, so the people admitted here (the patients) are the elderly who have no one to look after them and those who can no longer vend for themselves. The patients are naturally depressed and have lost an interest in life, therefore they need to be handled patiently. The employees who are giving the services are responsible for looking after the elderly who have been admitted there. They need to give them company, find activities for them to do so as to keep them busy and give them a sense of purpose so that they can live their lives. Also the services require them to keep the elderly company so that they do not feel left out.
Patient/ Client/ Care Giver
In this scenario the clients can be two. Since the coordinator is looking after the people in the home he is responsible for those who come to him for help and for those who do not. It is his moral and ethical obligation to watch out for the people in the home. Thereby Steve who has asked the attendant not to tell anyone about the information he has is the first customer. Steve had trusted the coordinator to keep his secret. On the other hand since the coordinator has knowledge regarding Bert that might save his life, Bert becomes the coordinator’s duty as well.
References
(2008) Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Australian charter of healthcare rights.
(2008) Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. National open disclosure standard.
Gray and Gibbons. (2007). There are no Answers, Only Choices: Teaching Ethical Decision Making in Social Work. Routledge.
Interprofessional practice in health and human services. (2009). Melbourne: Oxford University Press.