Problem
A newly qualified registered nurse is caring for a young man with a severe infection. Staff are aware that he has a history of injecting drug use, although he seems to be actively trying to address his health problems and has recently made some progress. One afternoon, during visiting hours, the new graduate nurse happens to walk past the young man's room and notices that he and his wife are both injecting a substance in the presence of their 4-year-old child. She discusses reporting them to the local child protection authority, but the other nursing and medical staff on the ward are strongly against this on the grounds that the patient is he is a delightful young man' and 'seems to have been doing so well'. Moreover, they do not want him to lose trust in the healthcare system and disengage from health services.
The new graduate nurse anonymously reports the couple to the local child protection agency, without telling any other hospital staff apart from a social worker. Although knowing that her report would probably make the young man's life harder in the short term, she believes strongly that she has an obligation to protect his child from possible harm. She knows that, as a registered nurse, she is required by law to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect to a child protection authority, but still wonders if she has done the right thing.
Task
A. Did the new graduate do the 'right thing' in this case?
B. Upon what basis have you made your judgment?
C. Do you think the graduate nurse's action will achieve a morally desirable outcome in this situation?