Clinical Scenario
You are working at Pleasant View Nursing Home as a newly hired PSW. You are excited to start your PSW career and are looking forward to working with your team members on the unit.
This morning as you are walking to your client’s room, you hear your co-worker, Sarah, talking loudly in the Staff Lounge with the door open. You hear the following conversation:
“I don’t know why Mrs. Julia is still here! Why can’t she go home and be with her crazy daughter? I mean she’s probably faking her breast cancer diagnosis for attention. I don’t like working with her because she’s too pushy and demanding.
You know, I heard that her daughter doesn’t visit her because she hates her mother. I don’t blame her! I’m not going to give her a bath this afternoon. I’ll tell the charge nurse that I’m busy with another client. Who’s visiting Ms. Julia anyways? Why does she need to be cleaned?”
You stop in the hallway and are shocked to hear words like that spoken about a client.
Answer the following questions in regard to the above scenario:
1. (5 marks) List 5 feelings you might have when you hear a dialogue like the one mentioned above?
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2. (3 marks) Do you think Sarah respected Ms. Julia’s confidentiality about her diagnosis? Why or why not?
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3. (5 marks) What is confidentiality and why is it important in the healthcare field?
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4. (3 marks) Ms. Julia is a client at Pleasant View Nursing Home. Does she have any rights as a resident there and perhaps as a Canadian citizen? Why?
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5. (6 marks) If Ms. Julia does have rights, list 6 rights as a resident she might be entitled to?
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6. (4 marks) Of the 4 Basic Principles of Health Care Ethics, which principle or principles did Sarah breach by talking loudly in the Staff Lounge and how?
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7. (4 marks) What would be the best action to take in this situation for you as a PSW?
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