Paul Cronan
Paul Cronan Case
This case involves a corporate response to AIDS in the workplace. The return to work of Paul Cronan, a person with AIDS, after a much publicized law suit, led to a walkout of his coworkers. This case documents the circumstances which preceded the work stoppage. Analyzing this case from Paul Cronan’s supervisors point of view there are three main ethical issues to be considered: duty to protect the interests of the company, New England Telephone (NET); obligation to maintain the rights of the other employees; and duty to provide for the safety and privacy of Paul Cronan.
There are ample examples throughout the reading to support identification of these three issues. It is evident that there is substantial interaction between Cronan and his supervisors in the early stages of his illness. Cronan contacted his first boss, Charlie O’Brian, asking for permission to leave work for a doctors appointment on three occasions. Cronan disclosed his illness to O’Brian on the third attempt to leave early from work. On his return to work he was instructed by his boss to see the company doctor. Later he contacted O’Brian, asking to be put on medical leave. Months later when he was well enough to return to work he contacted his new supervisor, Richard Griffin, who informed him that he needed a medical release to return to his job. He also asked Griffin for a transfer to a less volatile environment. These examples prove that the two men were Paul Cronan’s supervisors and thus had to be concerned for the safety and well being of Cronan.
There is evidence to support that there were other employees in Cronan’s department. When his illness was revealed co-workers purportedly threatened to lynch him if he returned. Later it was reported that damaging graffiti had been written on the bathroom stalls. On his return to work after the legal settlement he was treated like a leper by fellow employees. That same day, several co-workers filed a grievance with the local union protesting his re-instatement. The next day the workers walked off the job to reduce their contact with Cronan. Later several employees spoke of their fear of the disease and discomfort with Cronan. These examples prove that there were other employees in the department and thus the supervisors had to see that their rights were upheld, also.
Next, it is evident that the supervisors were agents of the company.
In my future role as a healthcare administrator, ethical decision making will be required to address a conflict or uncertainty regarding competing values , such as personal, professional, organizational, and societal values (Thompson, 2011). Administrators involved in this decision-making process must consider the ethical principles of justice, autonomy, beneficence, and nonmaleficence. Healthcare organizations having growing concerns over ethical issues such as:
Deontology theory defines an ethical action as one that adheres to a set of rules and duties. PharmaCARE’s actions are unethical by way of this moral compass because the firm has failed to perform in accordance with one very important duty, the duty to safeguard human dignity and basic human rights. Paying $1 a day to its workers and not providing them with even the most basic of amenities is a gross violation of the firm’s obligation to safeguard human rights, which in itself is a morally required behavior and applicable almost universally. PharmaCARE is not treating the Colberians like the treat their executives, nor are they treating the community there as they treat the communities in the
Therefore, even if the facts show that these employees where somehow providing professionally approved care, i.e. physically restraining her during an out of control incident, the patient’s perception that she was being physically and sexually assaulted remains to be the outcome. Therefore, according to the consequential theory of ethics, this behavior would not be considered ethical. Therefore, an alternative action, or one that is not perceived to be threatening and harmful, must be executed.
Pugh, D. (2009). The phoenix process: a substantive theory about allegations of professional conduct. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65(10), 2027-2037. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2009.05038.x
Mount Sinai St. Luke’s sued following HIPPA ViolationThey’re being sued for faxing patient PHI to his employer, a reported HIPPA violation that has already resulted in an OCR HIPPA settlement. St. Luke’s impermissibly disclosed PHI of two identified patients when Spencer Cox staff members faxed one individual’s PHI to his workplace and the other individual’s PHI to an office at which he volunteered. The type of PHI involved was specifically information about HIV, AIDS, and mental health. They say the impermissible disclosures was breached. Despite admitting its wrongdoing and paying the government $387,000, they’re also getting sued for negligence and negligence infliction of emotional distress. Because the individual had not told the majority
Westrick, S. (2013). Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
The term “justice” has a wide variety of definitions but, in the nursing world it is an ethical principle that is defined as: the equal and fair distribution of resources. No matter who they are, every person has the right to any and all means of medical treatment (ANA, n.d.). In order for justice to be achieved, a patient should be given fair, impartial care and having their rights as a citizens upheld (Feinsod & Wagner, 2008). Although the in knowledge of AIDS and its disease processes have grown exponentially over the decades, there are still cases of discrimination against those infected with the disease.
The law and how it is interpreted and followed in the administration of medicine is an important aspect that must be placed at the forefront. The law, simply put, refers to social rules of conduct that are enforceable and are not meant to be broken. While the practice of medicine carries a myriad of systematic complexities which expose healthcare organizations to potential legal problems, healthcare leaders must establish procedural methods and policies to mitigate the risk of liability through implementation of robust risk management programs. Failure to adhere to established laws, policies, and procedures can lead to legal issues for both the organization and its employees (Brock & Mastroianni, 2013).
Two days later, a coworker informed Cronan that news of his AIDS-related illness had spread around his co-workers, and that threats of physical violence were made against Cronan should he return. Fearing for his safety and health, Cronan requested medical leave, which was granted. He began receiving company-paid medical benefits, first departmental sickness benefits, then illness benefits. Illness benefits were extended several times to 12 months total.
I had a patient that was a threat to others, was not redirectable, and was refusing to come out of the bathroom. I informed the doctor that this patient was threatening staff, the doctor told me what to give; nurses usually collaborate to get security, additional staff, draw IM medications, etc. As another nurse and I were drawing up Haldol, Benadryl, and Ativan, the doctor peeked in and told us not to bother, that the patient was now calm. This patient was refusing all PO medication and was grossly psychotic. It did not matter if in that instance she was calm, she was a threat to staff because she had threatened them, and my note reflected this. When I gave report to the next shift, I warned them. The next day in morning report the evening/night staff reported that security was called and that this patient had to be medicated. This doctor does not understand, that if this patient had hurt staff, the doctor would be liable because my note stated that she was a threat and that the physician refused to medicate. This doctor was angry at me because I documented the facts, so
HIV has had a dramatic effect on the history screening and testing of blood donations. Since May 1985 all blood donated in the United States received testing for HIV antibodies, p 354. Still there are cases of negligence when the collection of blood is done. In 1983, a blood center knowing that blood from homosexual and bisexual men should not be accepted. The blood center even had a written policy stating that donors who volunteer that they are gay should not be allowed to give. In the case of, J.K & Susie L. Wadley Research Inst. v. Beeson, Mr. B a patient received several units of blood from the blood center during his surgery. Mr. B later going back to the hospital for being sick tested positive for HIV and his wife tested positive. At trial, damages of $800,000 were awarded to Mr. B’s widow. Failing to follow their policy cost a significant amount of money. Patients...
As per request of the first assignment of this course, I watched the movie “A Civil Action” starring John Travolta (Jan Schlichtmann), as a plaintiff’s lawyer and Robert Duvall (Jerome Facher) and Bruce Norris (William Cheeseman) as the defendant’s lawyers of W.R. Grace and J Riley Leather companies. The movie depicted the court case fought in the 1980’s among the previously mentioned companies and the residents of Woburn a little town located in Massachusetts. After watching the movie, an analysis using the ethical tools reflected in the chapter 1 of the course textbook will be used to portray the ethical issues of the movie.
People can quench their thirst for revenge by not wanting to cause the pain on others caused to them. Also, revenge can be overcome by, as Mark Mathabane writes, “It [hatred] can be vanquished only by humanity”. Hatred will only cause more hatred, creating increasingly more and more pain and instability for everybody. The only way this cycle can be broken is through peace and forgiveness.
In the case study that will be discussed throughout this essay a nurse was working for a two physician practice. The physicians decided to end their working relationship and the nurse was assigned the task of photocopying the charts of the physician who was relocating. In order to complete the assignment, the nurse decided to come in on a Saturday, when the office was closed, with her children aged eleven and thirteen, to assist her. One of the physicians had also stated he would pay the children for their assistance in photo copying the charts. When the second physician came in the office and saw what was occurring, he stopped the children from photocopying the charts. He then contacted the board of nursing and filed a complaint for violation of patients’ medical confidentiality against the nurse in the office. In turn, the board of nursing brought disciplinary action against the nurse. She in turn filed a lawsuit. Ethical issues to evaluate and...
For example, in a case such as a provider having multiple events of sharing patient confidential information the patient’s best interests have clearly been violated. The sharing of such data is a HIPPA violation and against the law (American Medical Association, 2016). Discipline cannot be avoided because of the impact it has in many areas. For example, ethical misconduct can have negative consequences ranging from embarrassment and loss of prestige and license for the professional as well as legal ramification for the organization (Institute for Local Government, 2013). Due to these inevitable consequences of the providers action, disciplinary action must be taken.