Question

You are the Vice President of Nursing Services in a nondenominational community hospital, and you receive a complaint from a patient, who is a Wiccan. The patient and her primary care nurse, Penny Baker, were discussing her religious practices and how she prays, when another nurse, Ruth Goose, walked into the room, stated, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch amongst you,” and told Penny not to discuss the “satanic religion” with the patient any more. The patient demands an apology and threatens to go to the media. She feels she has been discriminated against because she is a Wiccan and that her patient care experience was poor during her hospitalization because of her spiritual beliefs. You convene a meeting with Penny and her immediate supervisor, Ruth Goose. Ruth Goose is wearing a large gold cross on her neck. Penny wears no jewelry and is dressed in her blue scrubs. When you ask Penny what happened, Ruth answers for her. “She did the right thing. We don’t have to pray with witches. They worship Satan. It’s blasphemy. What’s next? Human sacrifice?” Penny can’t get a word in edgewise. Ruth keeps repeating “Thou shalt not suffer a witch amongst you, it says so in Leviticus!” What should you do?

1- Your Role In a sentence or short paragraph, declare what role you will address the major problem from, whether you are the chief administrator in the case or an outside consultant called in to advise. Regardless of your choice, you MUST justify in writing WHY you chose that role. What are the advantages and disadvantages of your selected role? Be specific.

2-Organizational Strengths and Weaknesses Identify the strengths and weaknesses that exist in relation to the major problem. Again, your focus here should be in describing what the organization is capable of doing (and not capable of doing) with respect to addressing the major problem. Thus, the identified strengths and weaknesses should include those at the managerial level of the problem. For example, if you have chosen to address the problem from the departmental perspective and the department is understaffed, that is a weakness worthy of mentioning. Be sure to remember to include any strengths/weaknesses that may be related to diversity issues.

3-Evaluation How will you know when you’ve gotten there? There must be measurable goals put in place with the recommendations. Money is easiest to measure; what else can be measured? What evaluation plan would you put in place to assess whether you are reaching your goals?

Answer 1

1. I will adapt the role of chief administrator in the above case. I would choose this role to assess and determine what happened in above case, what is the underlying isssue and what are the plan of action to resolve the issue. By assuming the role of chief administrator i would be able to make decisions and judgement without the influence of more powerful departmental authorities. I would also have more power to implement the action plan without any interference.

2. Strengths of the organization :

• The nursing staff involved in doing so will be warned against his actions.
• Even then if she continues to practice such behaviour in the hospital strict actions according to the regulations and policies of the organization will be taken. She can be suspended for a few days from the hospital.
• She could also bear penalty for the same or deduction of salary can be done as a punishment to the act

Weakness of the organization :

• The department cannot make the issue very big as it will attract public attention and this can affect reputation of organization.
• The nurse cannot be expelled the job as she have a great experience
• The nurse cannot be expelled also because of labour shortage

​3. Evaluation method:

The evaluation method to keep in check such kinds of behaviour and attitudes is necessary. They include regular supervision through higher authorities, setting of committee to look out for such activities, feedback forms at regular intervals from all patients.