What Is The Ethical Dilemma Of Unreliable Staffing
When patients present to the emergency department the medical facility has a legal obligation to care for the patient under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) which disallows emergency departments to refuse to care for patients (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2012). Inpatient units such as the one on which Shirley was located are not under the guise of EMTALA.
Nurses are faced with the substantial ethical dilemma of insufficient staffing every day in the United States. Many states are facing legislation mandating staffing ratios such as are currently present in California, however, the number of nurses is not always the solution, in addition, acuity and skill mix as well as numerous other factors must be considered.
Nurses are faced with the substantial ethical dilemma of insufficient staffing every day in the United States. Many states are facing legislation mandating staffing ratios such as are currently present in California, however, the number of nurses is not always the solution, in addition, acuity and skill mix as well as numerous other factors must be considered.