Assignment
A student preparing for a career as a nurse was working part time in the office of a proctologist. She told this tale to her class in Medical Ethics.
She was instructed by the office manager to clean the instruments used between services being performed by the physician. She was told to place them in a device and to set it on "RINSE". When she asked why not set the device to "STERILIZE" she was told that it takes too long and the doctor has need of the instruments again. In the beginning whenever she place the instruments into he device she set it to "STERILIZE". Her supervisor observed her doing so and then instructed her once again to set it on "RINSE". She asked: "Won't that put patients at risk of infection?" The answer was : "Yes it will . But , by the time they learn of the infection several days would have gone by and they probably won't relate it to their visit to this office."
The student went on working for that office and she attempted to set the device to "STERILIZE" whenever she could. She told the class this story and when asked by the instructor in front of the entire class for the name of the doctor so that the instructor could avoid that office if such services were ever needed by the instructor, the answer was : "Well I'll tell you after class but I do not want to day in front of everyone here."
How would you feel if you were a member of that class?
What is prompting her to continue to work at that office and accept the setting of the device on "RINSE" and subjecting people to possible harm of infection?
What model of the relationship of physician to recipient of care do you think the doctor holds? What is the model of their relationship to those whom they serve being used by the office assistants in this situation?