Introduction
When I first watched the video of Utah Nurse Alex Wubbels being arrested for refusing to give a patient’s blood to the police, the initial reaction was one of shock and disbelief. One would expect the officers to respect her professional judgment, but instead, they disregarded her protests and proceeded to handcuff her while she remained calm and composed. This incident raises a lot of questions about the rights of medical professionals in such situations and highlights a need for further education on the subject.
Seeing a uniformed officer aggressively arresting a nurse for simply standing up for her patient’s rights is unsettling and raises serious questions about how people are using their acts and rights as citizens. The nurse in this situation was clearly acting out of a sense of moral obligation to protect the rights of her patient. She was, however, met with an overzealous response from law enforcement that sought to intimidate her into submission. This raises concerns about how human rights are interpreted and applied in certain situations. In essence, the nurse was within her rights to refuse the blood sample and that any legal or ethical violations committed by the officer should be held accountable.
Although the police enjoy the privileges that come with sovereignty of the state, it is crucial that they understand the legal frameworks of their work. Consequently, the nurse stood for her rights and fought for the ethical sanity of the medical profession protecting the rights of her client (Ortiz & Siemasko, 2017). By taking such a courageous stance, she has become a symbol of strength and resilience for many people around the world who feel they cannot stand up for their own rights. It is crucial to remember that people must never forget that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of race, gender, religion, or class. The basic human rights must always come first and continue to fight until they are fully realized.
Acts and Rights Sighted
The course has covered rights such as Client rights, The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) among others. In this scenario, the nurse was protecting the patient’s autonomy or the client’s rights by refusing to allow an unauthorized blood draw. She was respecting the patient’s right to make decisions about their own body and not allowing it to be taken away by police forces (Ortiz & Siemasko, 2017). Finally, the nurse was protecting her own rights by refusing to be coerced into doing something she knew was wrong. She showed that she was willing to take a stand against injustice and was willing to take personal risks in order to protect her beliefs. Under such circumstances, the nurse is complying with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) while executing her duties.
The nurse stood firm in her belief that no one should be forced to perform medical procedures without consent or a court order. Furthermore, the nurse respected both the laws set forth by the state and the profession of nursing which require informed consent before any medical procedure is performed. At the same time, this situation highlights the right to freedom from unreasonable search and seizure. In this case, the police officers attempted to use force to get access to the patient’s blood without first obtaining a warrant or court order. In essence, the incidence illustrates the various vices that different occupations pass through in the hands of policy and law enforcers. The police portray the ill in some security service providers and help understand the importance of ethics and law in societies. Therefore, it is always vital to define the boundaries and rights of each individual in all professions to help curb high incidences of police brutality as witnessed in the short clip.
Personal Response to the Situation
This scenario showcases a disturbing occurrence in societies. Acts like this from police have been evidence before and it is wrong. This is an example of a violation of basic civil rights as human beings. In this instance, Alex was absolutely within her rights to refuse to provide the patient’s blood to the police. She had already checked with the hospital administration and the patient’s lawyer and was told that she could not provide it. Despite this, the police still tried to force her to provide the blood, lead to her arrest (Ortiz & Siemasko, 2017). It is in situations like these that people must be aware of their rights and be willing to stand up for them.
The police officer was in the wrong here, and if I were faced with a similar situation, I would have the wherewithal to tell him “No.” I believe that it is essential that we take a stand against authority figures who are trying to deny us our rights. Unfortunately, acts like the one committed by this police officer do not just occur in Utah or even just in America, they can occur all over the world. Whenever someone tries to abuse their power and violate another person’s rights, people must speak out and hold those perpetrators accountable.
Ethical Theory based on the Scene
The ethical theory that can be applied to this situation is the doctrine of utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is a consequentialist ethical theory that states that the acts and rights of any individual should be judged based on the outcomes they produce in a society (Smart, 2020). In this case, the acts and rights of the Utah nurse were judged based on their outcome in terms of protecting the patient’s privacy and refusing to give their blood to the police. The nurse’s actions were deemed ethical by many as it was seen as a morally right decision in terms of protecting the patient’s rights (Ortiz & Siemasko, 2017). On the other hand, some may argue that her refusal was unethical as it was seen as an obstruction of justice. Either way, it is clear that the nurse’s acts and rights were judged based on the consequences they produced and thus the doctrine of utilitarianism can be used to analyze this situation.
It is important to recognize that each individual has a different set of moral values which can influence how their acts or rights are viewed by others. Therefore, when making ethical decisions, individuals must carefully consider the implications of their acts or rights to ensure that those decisions adhere to their own moral standards. Additionally, it is also important to consider how those decisions might impact those around them. Furthermore, when evaluating someone’s acts or rights from a utilitarian point of view, one must take into consideration not only the immediate results but also how those results might influence future decisions. Ultimately, it is up to each person to decide what acts or rights are moral or immoral according to their personal moral code.
Conclusion
The video of the Utah nurse being arrested for refusing to give a patient’s blood to police was certainly shocking and heartbreaking. It is important to remember that individuals have the right to refuse acts that they deem to be unethical or illegal, even when faced with pressure from authorities. From what we have studied this week, it can be said that Utilitarianism applies to this situation in particular. The nurse acted in the best interest of the patient and society by refusing to go against her morals and beliefs; ultimately protecting the rights of others. This video serves as an example of how individuals must continue to fight for the protection of their basic rights, no matter the cost.
References
Ortiz, E., & Siemaszko, C. (2017). Utah nurse arrested for refusing to give patient’s blood to police. NBCNews. Web.
Smart, J. J. C. (2020). Utilitarianism and its applications. In New directions in Ethics (pp. 24-41). Routledge.