Healthcare Leadership: Case Study of Transferred Employee and Ethics

This case study analyzes an ethical dilemma faced by an administrator in a reorganized healthcare organization. The central issue revolves around a transferred employee requesting an annual performance appraisal just two months after joining the new department. The administrator encounters resistance from the former supervisor, who refuses to conduct the appraisal and denies receiving instructions to do so prior to the transfer. The administrator is then advised by both their superior and a legal advisor to alter the employee's transfer date to circumvent the issue, which they recognize as unethical. The case explores the administrator's decision-making process, including whether to change documents, confront superiors, and the selection of an appropriate ethical framework to support their actions. The administrator decides to discuss the issue with the supervisor and the losing supervisor, considering factors like employee rights, documentation processes, and legal procedures. The legal justice principle of distributive justice is identified as the most appropriate ethical framework, emphasizing adherence to laws and moral principles within the healthcare setting, thus guiding the administrator's decision to uphold ethical standards and avoid illegal actions.

Case Summary:
After going through the case study, it was found that there were several of facts and
issues present in the case scenario. The condition of ethical and professional difficulties
started when just two months after joining, from the new employees, one came forward
demanding for the completion of his appraisal of annual job performance. Being the
administrator of a department in a health organization, it was an important job to consider the
demands of the employees. So the issues were further informed to the losing supervisor, as
the administrator had no knowledge regarding the employees and their performance. The next
issue that came up was that the losing supervisor refuses to do the examination of the
employee performance and do the appraisal. The administrator reported the issue to his boss,
who suggested to change the internal joining dates of the of the employees and state that they
have been transferred after 12 months in spite of 9 months of duration. It was stated by the
supervisor hat issues like such occurs very often and it is important to hide the error of the
other supervisors. As the condition and the opinions were found unprofessional and unethical,
the administer approached the legal advisor for the consultation and got the similar
suggestion like the boss. The issue is also that it becomes uncomfortable for the administer to
go back and discuss the issue with the supervisor.
Case analysis:
a) What do you do?
I am an administrator of one of the department in a recently reorganized health care
organization. The role of being an administrator is to manage various departments which
together comprises a better health care organization. These departments include financial
department, operation management, communication, legal responsibilities and human
resource management. Being an administrator in a health care organization, it becomes a

major responsibility to observe and focus on the needs and requirements of the employees
and the better being of the health care organization (Kaye et al., 2015). As an administrator, I
must focus on the rights of the employees and also the ethical and legal values of the health
care professional.
b) Do you change the documents?
Altering the legal documents in a health care professional regarding the employees’
appraisal is something out of professionalism. Being a part of the health care organization
and in position of administrator, to becomes a major responsibility to take correct decision
which would be beneficial for the employees as well as showed not be offensive to the other
senior authorities and the health care organizations. In the situation of providing the
employees with their appraisals just after being transferred to the reorganized health care
organization where they have served only for two months was a bit confusing and
complicated for me. The supervisors gave the instructions to change the documentation date
which was according to me, against the legal procedure and ethics of the health care setting
(Bouchet-Saulnier, 2019).
c) Do you go back and confront your superior?
After an informal discussion with the legal advisor, the information that was attained
by me was similar to the one which the supervisor gave me earlier. They all stated that the
same thing which was to alter the dates of the transfer of the employees truing it to 12
months in place of 9 moths. According to my knowledge and understanding, it was illegal
and was against the values and professionalism of a health care organization. I believe in
going back to my supervisor and discussion about the issue again and confront in order to
avoid any illegal scenario or disruption of the rights and ethics of the employees and the
organization. it will be necessary to discuss in detail and explain him and also to
understand his points in order to select better option (Fore, 2016).

Executive decision:
a. What is your decision and why did you make it?
As being the administrator my role is to focus and take appropriate actions of
the better outcomes for the employees as well as the organization. in order to avoid
any illegal action and harm to the employees and the health care organization, I chose
to go back to the supervisor and discuss with him regarding the issue and the
changing of the transferred dates in the documents (Wager, Lee & Glaser, 2017). As
per my knowledge and understanding changing the dates of the documents by
inserting false dates is illegal and it may affect the employees as well as may be
effective for the health care professionals.
b. What is your next course of action?
My next course of action will be going on in a discussion session with the supervisor
as well as the losing supervisor and other seniorities in the organization in the presence of
legal advisors to understand the condition and severity of the issue (Gostin & Wiley,
2016).
c. What other factors do you consider and what other actions do you take?
In order to resolve the issue and conflict within the supervisor and the
documentation process, it will be necessory for me to first go through the legalisations
and laws of the health care organization I have been working and also to understand
the rights of the employees and the proves of transfers of the employees. The main
factors the needs to be considered with be the rights of the employees and the process
of appraisal, the next will be the documentation process and the guidance related to
the same and then will be the legal procedure and the alteration of the dates and

related legal policies which states about the better being if the workers, the
professionals and the health care organisation (Wheeler & Bertram, 2019).
d. What ethical framework/distributive justice theory best supports your
decision regarding the case and why?
The legal justice principle of the distributive justice theory is found to be
better supporting theory for the case. The legal justice principle states regarding the
respect and consideration of the laws and rules legally as well as morally right
(Almgren, 2017). It is suitable for the case as the case condition discusses about the
issue regarding violation of legal procedure as well as laws of a health care
professional. The legal justice principle guides the health care professionals regarding
the values and ethic related to not violating the laws and legislations of a health care
organization. the supervisors should respect the moral values and laws of the health
care organization and must not conduct any illegal change in the documentation
(Pozgar, 2019).

Reference:
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Wheeler, A. M., & Bertram, B. (2019). The counselor and the law: A guide to legal and
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