Curious..have you ever been faced with an ethical dilemma at work?

[nicet4]

Originally Posted by cry884

If you don't put your foot down, you will kick yourself later. It's not worth it.

Once you cave they own you.

Is that really how you want to live your life?

[NCN]

I had a straight forward patron request for special treatment and he put it in a personal way. I don't remember exactly what he said but he wanted to know if I was going to require him to do something that was one of our rules for patrons. I answered back, "Is your getting to do that so important that I should risk losing my job." Point was made. He didn't presist.

[TraumanurseNC]

In healthcare there are many ethical dilemmas. I think the hardest for me is having family not accept patient's wishes.... I can't tell you how many people I have helped keep alive, no matter the pain and suffering involved, against their express wishes (once they were no longer able to speak for themselves) because of family members unwilling to 'let go' or simply not knowing what the patient would want and afraid to make the wrong 'choice'.

I worked as a burn nurse for many years, and it broke my heart to continue 'scrubbing' (and believe me, it was scrubbing) a patient's wounds for months knowing that it was hopleless, but the family c/wouldn't let go.... Do you honor the patient's wishes (when s/he could express one), or the family's decision? The law decides for us, but it is still an ethical dilemma for me.....

I encourage people to talk to their families (more than once), about what you (and they) want and don't want to happen when you can no longer speak for yourself.....I do understand how hard it is to make that decision, as one never really knows if it was the 'right' one. If you have had that conversation, you, and they, have some guidance during what is an extremely stressful/emotional time....