Question

Case study 3:

You work in a hospital ER and a firm belief has developed among the staff that the ER is busier and there are more violent patients when there is a full moon. You notice that it is getting more and more difficult to staff the ER when the moon is full. One staff member in particular refuses to work during the full moon citing “religious reasons.”

1. Identify the logical error or errors being made in the case study.

2. Explain what professional ethical standards may be called into question by this error (or errors).

3. What ethical behavior/response would you apply the situation?

Answer 1

1) ER will be busier every day because all the patients in that department will be in a very critical condition. So it is a logical error thinking that only during full moon they have violent patients. I think it is just a coincidence that during full moon they have more violent patients.

2) Ethical standards that should questioned of the office staff is that they are in a service industry where they have to take care of people who come there with a faith that these staff will take care of them. Their families will also be in a hope that their people are safe in ER of the hospital as there will be staff who are trained professionals. If they are refusing to stay with the patient which means they are refusing to do their duties. So they are not following their professional ethics of not doing their duties.

3) I will ask them sort the issue with their higher authorities and find a solution rather than stopping their work by not going to hospital. My suggestion will be this only as things like this are complicated because when there is religious belief.