Case Study Confidentiality
Do you believe that the genetic counselor should tell the children about their
Father's test result? Why or why not?
I think he should tell the children about their father's test results
because those test results may mean that the children are positive to
their father's illness. Test results can impact children's lives because
they can try to treat the disease or at least prepare for the future if
they test positive. By not telling his children, the father deprives them
of their right to know. Because like I said, it could impact their lives
because if they catch it too late, they will not be able to get treatment.
If he does, what might be the effect on his employer?
The employer might feel disrespect since the genetic counselor told his
children when he said not to tell his children. He might feel that his
right of privacy was violated, and the genetic counselor threw his
information to the public when he had no right. The reason he did not
want the genetic counselor to tell his children was because he was
ashamed, or he would have told them on his own time. That is why I
think that he might get angry and annoyed at the genetic counselor
and feel disrespected.
Do you think that the nurse in case 2 did the right thing?
The nurse did the right thing by telling the firefighter that the woman
had AIDs and that they were exposed to it. Since the firefighter now
could get tested to see if they tested positive for AIDs and get
treatment as quickly as possible to control the disease or if they do not
have it then to prevent it. From the women's perspective I understand
that she feels that her rights were violated. Because you can only get
the virus by having sex, or by other fluids so the chance of them
getting them were not as high but they still should get checked to
prevent it.
Do you think that the circumstances justified breaking the law?
I think that the situation does justify breaking the law since the
firefighters were exposed to AIDs. Since even if the chance of them
getting them is low, they could still get it. Now that they know they
were exposed to the virus the firefighter can get tested and prevent
the virus or treat the virus.
Should the nurse be fired for her actions?
From the circumstance presented the nurse should not get fired. Since
the nurse by not telling the firefighter was depriving them of their right
to know that they were exposed.
If they were exposed the chance of
getting it may be low but never zero, AIDs are a virus that cannot be
cured, you will have to deal with it for the rest of your life. The nurse
did the right thing since this virus could ruin their life if they got it and
they deserve to know.
