Let’s return to the ethical scenario presented within Page 2 of the Explore section of Week 4 to consider it
further. Upon learning that a medication error occurred resulting in a child’s death, the Chief Nursing Officer
(CNO) of a regional acute care facility held a press conference to announce the mistake.
The conference centered on reporter questions about why the nurse was not fired. The CNO explained that the
nurse was highly regarded, and that the problem was a “system” problem, not simply a problem of an
incompetent nurse.
The CNO also explained that an examination of the medication administration procedures was ordered and
that an electronic medication error avoidance system would be implemented to ensure that such an error would
not happen again. Consider this scenario to address the following.
• As the CNO in the scenario, defend your decision to disclose the incident to the media.
• How does this decision influence value-based healthcare?
• What risks might you encounter?
• What impact might this decision have on you personally and professionally?
• At a regional health consortium, fellow CNOs remark that they would not disclose such an incident to the
media.
• Provide two justifications for withholding disclosure of the
error to the public.
• How does this decision influence value-based healthcare?
• Imagine you are the patient’s family.
• How would you want the issue to be handled by the CNO?
• Explain your rationale.

Sample Solution