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Value Of Dignity Essay

Decent Essays

Dignity – “respecting the inherent value and worth of each person.” Justice – “ advocating and acting in ways that promote respect for all persons.” I remember an incident when I worked in the surgery department where the situation could have turned into a sentinel event and most likely a legal matter. As I was checking in and assessing a patient prior to his surgery, I found the patient to be confused and was unable to confirm the procedure he was having done. He knew his name, the year, but not the month and he was able to verbalized that he was in a hospital. Unable to confirm the consent he signed and state the procedure he was having, I refused to proceed with the scheduled procedure. At the time, I was unable to reach family members as well. I communicated this to the rest of the O.R. team, my manager and the anesthesiologist. They agreed with my decision to cancel …show more content…

I was firm with my reasons and provided reasonable rationale for my actions. The surgeon, however, insisted on doing the procedure and argued that the patient had signed his own consents. I was steadfast in my decision with the support of my peers and managers. The case was eventually cancelled as we were not able to reach the family member who had power of attorney. This family member happened to be a lawyer by profession and he expressed his appreciation for my advocating for his father and my efforts in trying to reach him. Although this son knew that his father was scheduled for surgery, he was not aware that the surgeon decided on the time and day without fully informing him. I believe in this case, I carried myself with dignity and appropriately advocated for the patient in the interest of safety. I adhered to my organization’s values of dignity and justice. With the patient being confused, I became his voice and refused to proceed with an invasive procedure that he likely did not even fully

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