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An ETHICO-LEGAL Perspective on Sharps Management in Healthcare Sector

   

Added on  2020-09-03

7 Pages1980 Words190 Views
HEALTHCARESCENARIO FROM ANETHICO-LEGALPERSPECTIVE

Table of ContentsWHAT ?...........................................................................................................................................1SO WHAT ?.....................................................................................................................................1NOW WHAT ?................................................................................................................................3REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

WHAT ?I have just started my PEP in an engaged urban hospital. During the practice unit I wastaught by my lecturer, importance of managing sharps correctly which includes needles, scalpels,syringes, blades and some plastics which is contaminates. Workers related to nursing andhealthcare must take careful steps to prevent abrasion or wounds caused by blades and needles:while performing procedures with them, while cleaning any such type of instruments and whiledisposing of the used needles (Aseweh Abor, 2013). In many of the instances I was taught bymy tutor not to recap the needle once used, rather it should be placed in the kidney shaped dishand after work is done dispose it in the allotted sharp container. It is mentioned in AS 4031 thatafter single use of needle and scalpel blades they should be placed in a proper container andthese containers should be labelled and leak proof (Loveday and et.al., 2014).Our tutor guided us to go through an Australian Government website that provide us withcertain recommendation regarding proper use and disposal of the needles. One day on myplacement with registered nurse (RN) I was asked to give patient his insulin injection. I was quitenervous at that moment and after giving the injection I come to know that I forgot bringing thatkidney shaped dish and start to get panic. Then suddenly my RN told me to re-cap the needle, butI refused at the first as my lecturer taught me about disposing the needle once used. Afterdenying once he again instructs me to re-cap but I stand with my decision not to re-cap it. Nowfinally RN started screaming on me to re-cap the needle and I become anxious and started tryingto recap. It was totally illegal task and my hand were shaking severely and accidental I gotpunctured by this needle in my left thumb. Then irritated RN informs the patient that his bloodsample is to be checked to know what kind of serious diseases I come in contact with. SO WHAT ?I, was quite shocked at first when the RN forced me to re-cap the needle as it wascompletely illegal and against the norms. Being on placement with him I was compelled tofollow the instructions given by him. But my ethics were not allowing me to this task and in thisdilemma my hands started shaking and coincidently that needle pierce my left thumb. After this Igot panicked and started thinking of disease that I may come in contact with due to that prick.It was an obvious response, as the RN was forcing me to do an illegal work which wascompletely unethical and was against the norms issued by the Australian government. Also, Iwas scared about medical history of patient that what kind of disease he might be suffering from,1

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