SHAMING NURSES A BAD IDEA

In the ethical spat that is brewing between health minister Theresa
Oswald and the Manitoba Nurses Union, about whether or not the names
of nurses who are disciplined for being addicts should be made
public, it's somewhat humourous to hear Oswald's reason for rejecting
a change to the law.

"Protection of the public needs to be paramount," the health minister
told the Canadian Press. In other words, openness and transparency is
the way to go when dealing with the health care of Manitobans.
Patient safety is at risk so these hard-working nurses, beset by
addiction problems, need to be named.

We can't forget Oswald's behaviour in keeping information secret in
the Brian Sinclair fiasco. Serving the public appeared to be the last
thing on their minds back then -- suddenly it has become "paramount."

Addicted nurses working in our health care system is a serious issue
which creates an ethical dilemma for politicians and health care
administrators. Not just nurses but all those working in health care
are at greater risk of spiralling out of control with addictions due
to the easy availability of drugs.

Is it the right thing to do to publicly shame them into getting help?
On the other side of the coin can the provincial governing body
afford not to weed out and identify addicted nurses in order to keep
the public's faith?

The College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba regularly prints the
names of nurses disciplined for a wide variety of offences in its
magazine, which is also available on its website. The magazine
includes details of what offending nurses are ordered to do, such as
undergo counselling. In many other provinces like Ontario, as an
example, there's open and transparent discipline for nurses accused
of serious offences but addiction-related issues are handled privately.

But if an addicted nurse admits to the problem, is removed from the
workplace and ordered to get treatment in order to keep a job, how is
the public's safety in jeopardy?

"What's to be gained by humiliating these nurses and naming them in
public?" asks Sandi Mowat, the union president. Mowat makes a very
valid point. There's nothing to be gained except further hurt to the
individual.

Oswald should soften her stance on this one. Perhaps the way to
proceed is to mirror what is done in British Columbia. If a nurse
admits to an addiction, his or her identity is kept confidential.

Public embarrassment works for some wrongdoings. Nurses who admit
their addictions and treat them, should not have their privacy violated.