Question

You are working as a registered nurse on a medical-surgical floor after graduation. You love your job and your co-workers. You have grown close with your colleagues, and regularly attend get togethers outside of work. As you have particularly became close with nurse X, who has been your mentor on the unit.

One day while at work, you walk into the break room and see nurse X attempting to take syringes out of a sharps container. When you ask what they are doing, nurse X replies “I have had some terrible back pain, I don’t want to see my doctor because I just don’t have the time. Please keep this between you and me. I know that I can trust you”.

1. What do you do with what you have just witnessed? What ethical situations are presented before you?

2. If you choose to report your colleague; what will be the cost to you in doing so?

3. Is there any patient care issues within this scenario?

Answer 1

It is wrong practice that the nurse X is doing. She is simply breaking the rules of infection control. Used syringes are not to be reused for any patient as they are the sources of many infections which can be transmitted through blood like HIV and hepatitis.

I shall suggest the nurse X not to follow such practices as it is harmful if anything goes wrong for. eg in case of sepsis, blood borne infections as mentioned above.

Though she is very close to me and is my mentor wrong practices should not be promoted as they may cause harm first to herself and in the long run to the patient.

If it is reported to my colleague our relationships, bonds may break but that is for the good. This should be kept at the back of my mind.

If it is practiced regularly or in case when there is shortahe of consumables etc morbidity and mortality both are going to increase in the patient's. It will pose a serious danger to patient and hospital will have to pay for it. It is then going to decrease the quality of life of patients.