Read “The Case of Janet K. and Epilepsy,” The Case of Janet K. and Epilepsy Jane
ID: 467003 • Letter: R
Question
Read “The Case of Janet K. and Epilepsy,”
The Case of Janet K. and Epilepsy
Janet K. had suffered from epilepsy since she was an infant. Her condition was well controlled as she entered adulthood, and she was able to complete a nursing program in good health. She particularly enjoyed working as a scrub nurse in the operating room. Upon graduation she applied at the large university teaching hospital where she had performed her clinical work during her nursing program. The hospital knew of her epilepsy history and offered her a job in their medical records department. Janet petitioned to be able to work in surgery but the hospital administrators felt that it was too dangerous for Janet and for the surgical patients if she should have a seizure there.
While working in medical records Janet’s seizures began to return. She would have a seizure at least every month even though her medications had been changed. Janet noticed that some of her fellow medical records technicians would stay away from her for fear of not knowing how to help her during a seizure. One afternoon a physician was dictating his case records in a cubicle next to Janet’s when she had a seizure. He helped her and then went to the hospital administrator and told her that Janet should not be allowed to work in a hospital since it gave the hospital, with its image of healing, a bad reputation.
Janet was then terminated at the age of 27 due to health issues. She died of a brain tumor five years later.
Discuss the following questions:
Are there some medical or mental conditions that should prevent a person from working in a hospital or other medical setting? If so, what are they?
What should have been done when Janet’s coworkers shunned her?
Was the physician who helped Janet when she had a seizure correct in asking the hospital administrator to dismiss (fire) her?
Should Janet have been given the opportunity to work in surgery? Why or why not?
Explanation / Answer
1. Yes, there is some medical or mental condition that should prevent a person working. In hospital there are many critical departments like operation room or laboratory, where an error leads to a big damage in a patient’s health. In above case Janet applied for job to work in surgery department of hospital but as she suffered from epilepsy, hospital administrators not accept his application to work in surgery as it was dangerous to both her and patients if she was ill during surgery.
2. At that time, it would be requested and appealed by administration to co-workers to help her by giving necessary medicines and primary treatment. A short information on her medication and necessary medicines given to co-workers and contact to doctors in that situations.
3. In my point of view, dismiss is somewhat more, initially it would be recommended to gave Janet a week or more leave for her better treatment. To join services again by her, only when a team of doctors examined her health and reports and confirm her fit for further services
4. No, Janet has not been given to work in surgery as it cost to the patients health directly. A person dream should not be fulfil by a person life. Yes if she wants to fell and dream to work in surgery, it should be done in one or two cases only by the decision of management and her health reports that time.
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