Judy, the unit manager was summoned to the room at the end of the hall. Mr. Edwards was admitted after surgery for a bowel obstruction that turned out to be cancer, and his recovery had been complicated from the beginning. He had now been on the ward for almost a month, and discharge was nowhere in sight.
Judy steeled herself before walking in to Mr. Edwards’ room. He wasn’t the friendliest man. Some health care aides had told Judy that Mr. Edwards was often angry and could be quite insulting, although he was always on his best behaviour around Judy.
“Good morning, Mr. Edwards. How are you feeling today?” she asked.
“Rotten, as usual,” he replied gruffly.
“I understand you wanted to speak with me?”
“Yes,” Mr. Edwards said. “I want a different nurse.”
“Oh?” Judy asked. “Is there a problem?”
“Yes. That one doesn’t even speak English,” he replied. “I want a white nurse.”
Judy was taken aback. Margaret had been working on Judy’s ward for decades and was an excellent nurse. Although of Southeast Asian background, Margaret had been born and raised in Canada and was working on her Master’s degree. For several moments, she stood there, not quite sure what to say.
Finally, she said, “Mr. Edwards, all of our staff are well qualified for their jobs.”
“I don’t care,” he stated firmly. “I don’t want any coloured nurses in here. Find me someone I can understand!”
Judy stammered a non-committal response and made her exit, not sure at all what to do.
Questions for discussion and consideration:
- What does Judy need to consider when deciding how to respond to Mr. Edwards?
- What are the implications of ignoring Mr. Edwards’ demands? Of accommodating them?
- What should Judy do to ensure Mr. Edwards continues to receive high-quality care? Why?
Case of the Month: health ethics case studies 