Ethical Debate

Question: Suppose that you are chatting with someone who tells you that she is going to go into nursing (or any other health field) because she can get a good paying job and she won’t get laid off like she has been from other jobs. She goes on to say, “I think sick people can be whiny and demanding, but I can put up with that, smile and do my job." Based on your readings, how would you respond?


Everyone in the class pretty much said, she is wrong. Her reasons invalid etc.



My Answer was: I do not believe that someone going into a field that requires patient centered care should go into the field with a negative bias already. Negativity breeds negativity and eventually that attitude is going to wear off toward the patients or toward coworkers. I would however respect their choices. I try not to judge people strictly based on my opinions or even my personal values. I feel that some people who are not particularly fond of people as a whole, actually can provide sensitive personal care to their patients or clients without prejudice.
I would offer to educate them further on their misconceptions regarding the actual economic stability of a career in the medical field. In actuality the medical field has been hit with layoffs. In fact a large medical health network associated with a prestigious medical school in Massachusetts is set to begin the layoffs of 900 employees. (Globe,2012) In Arizona Carondelet Healthcare Network is planning to layoff 225 medical positions within their network. (layoff tracker, 2011)
Furthermore, I don't believe that it is correct to just tell a person that their plan or the reasons behind that plan are purely wrong. At the very least this person is probably misguided in their views and expectations of the nursing profession and the patients that they will see. After all not all sick patients are whiny. However, perhaps instead of looking at this person's views as merely wrong, maybe here is a place to gain a bit more information behind their motivations for choosing nursing. Maybe what this person meant was," I think the pay is great. I heard its recession proof from the media and nursing school ads, and my family really needs me to work. I can put up with some difficult people in order to do my job and have a smile while doing so." Is she still wrong?



What do you all think?