Assignment: Abuse Of Power In Health Care
“Power Plays and the Abuse of Power in Health Care Organizations”
Suggest the major issues that you believe are the basis for most of the organizational power struggles within health care facilities. Propose a method that a health care facility could use to alleviate power imbalances within the organization.Question 4: A 58-year-old woman presents with a breast mass. Which of the following responses by the clinician would be most appropriate?
a. “It is probably just a cyst, because that is the most common breast mass.”
b. “We will order a mammogram and ultrasound to help establish a diagnosis.”
c. “We will go ahead and schedule you for a biopsy because that is the only way to know for sure.”
d. “Because your lump is painful, it is most likely not cancer.”
Question 5: Which of the following is a specific test for multiple sclerosis (MS)?
a. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
b. Computed tomography (CT) scan
c. A lumbar puncture
d. There is no specific test.
Question 6: After removing a tack from a type 2 diabetic’s heel and evaluating the site for infection, what is the best plan for this patient?
a. Suggest she use a heating pad to improve circulation
b. Refer to a podiatrist for a foot care treatment plan
c. Send her for acupuncture treatments
d. All of the above
Assignment: Abuse Of Power In Health Care
In this assignment I will discuss the potential misuse of power by healthcare professionals when working with Australian elderly people and why they may be at risk. The discussion will look at summary of situations that may arise.
However to begin the discussion the concept and idea of what is vulnerability will be described. Take for example the following statement made by the College of Registered Nurse of British Columbia (www.crnbc.ca 07/10/2010), in an article called Nurse- Client Relationships which reads, “Vulnerable is the power imbalance present in a professional relationship places the recipients of care in a position of vulnerability and of potential exposure to exploitation or abuse if that trust is not respected.”
The group nominated for this topic discussion is the elderly people, who are 60 -plus years of age. There is a number of reasons that can explain why this group are at risk. The elderly most suffer from multiple illnesses and disabilities which impacts on their treatment and care. The range of health issues can vary within this group. For example; they can include but are not limited to; depression, dementia, hearing loss, little vision, heart disease, cardiovascular disease there are a number of areas in which an elderly person may receive inadequate care. The discussion will now move to the areas that the writer finds important in the context of care and treatment. The first is that of the appropriate use of medication. Problems in the delivery of medication may occur in a number of circumstances for instance, an health professional must always follow the five rights; namely, the right patient, the right medication, right time, right route, right dosage and what as actually been prescribed for them. Taking theses steps would cause no confusion with the nurse patient relationship.
From another point of view the elderly maybe at risk because they may not always be aware of what is happening around them. The elderly tend to expect what is happening to them and not question why it might be happening. Depending on their condition they are extremely reliant and depended on their carers for both emotional and physical and social support as well as the treatment in care.
There are a number of areas in which an elderly person may receive inadequate care. I will now discuss what I believe to be the most important of these areas. The first is that of the appropriate use of medication. Problems in the delivery of medication may occur in a number of circumstances. A health professional nursing an elderly person must always follow the five rights; namely, the right of the patient to receive medication that is of the right type, at the right time, the right dosage, the right route and what is actually been prescribed for them. If this doesn’t take place the patient can get side effects such as dizziness, constipation, upset stomach, sleep changes or other reactions due to their illness or disability.
Because of their age, elderly patients are not fully aware of what is happening around them and so are vulnerable because they are accepting of what is happening to them and not questioning why it might be happening. They are extremely reliant on their carers.
