DQ #1
You are the health care administrator of a large healthcare system. The Board of Directors has asked you to research the ethics related to a policy decision the Board is about to make. The policy decision is to not hire any applicants who indicate they are smokers on their applications for employment within the healthcare system. Describe two ethical principles involved in this decision and explain why they are related to the issue. Identify 2 negative consequences of this decision and 2 positive consequences of this decision. Explain why you will or will not support the Board of Directors in this decision. 250 words
DQ#2
You are a member of your institution- ethics committee. Your committee is being addressed by a health care provider who believes a patient- physician is engaging in paternalism and is seeking assistance in resolving the issue. The issue involves an elderly couple who was seriously injured in a car accident. The husband was more severely injured than was the wife and he subsequently died two weeks after the accident. In the course of events, a blood test for Syphilis was performed on the husband and wife as part of this particular institution- admitting blood work on accident victims. The test came back positive for syphilis for the wife; the husband- test results indicate treatment for a past episode of Syphilis. The staff perceives the couple to be a close, loving couple during the time care has been provided to them. The physician elected not to tell the wife about the positive blood test as she was grieving for her husband. It is now two months post-accident, the wife- medical status is relatively stable and she will be discharged soon. The physician has not yet told the wife about the positive blood test. The staff nurses are concerned that the wife has not been told the full extent of her health status while the physician is concerned that knowledge of the positive blood test will taint the wife- perceptions of her recently deceased husband as the physician believes the wife has been faithful to the husband and that more than likely, the husband became aware of his status regarding syphilis and was treated, hence the current test results. The physician also believes that the wife has suffered enough emotional pain for now and should not have to deal with the notion of an unfaithful husband. The physician wants to treat and not tell. Explain your role as a member of your institution- ethics committee. Is the physician engaging in paternalism? Explain your response. Cast your vote in favor of encouraging the physician to provide full disclosure to the patient or cast your vote in favor of encouraging the physician to treat and not tell. Explain your vote. 250 words
USA 
India