Leadership Roles in Nursing
Overview
Based on the age discrimination and employment act (ADEA), Mary should not be forced to retire on the basis of her age, but on the basis of her inability to perform her duties. The act does not set any age limit for retirement, but it recommends that old people should be hired on the basis of their abilities to perform duties assigned to them rather than a consolation of their old age (Marquis, & Huston, 2009). Accordingly, Mary should retain her job so long as she is able to perform her duties. Conversely, if she is not able to perform her duties because of her old age, then she can be forced to retire.
From the case study, it is clear that Mary is no longer fit for her job. This is supported by the little girl’s circumcision case together with the concerns raised by staff members (Marquis, & Huston, 2009). Consequently, inasmuch as it would not be good to force Mary to retire right now, her inability to perform her duties in the right way warrants her retirement.
Patients’ Safety
As far as this issue is concerned, it would be important to consider patients’ safety as outlined in the nurses’ codes of ethics. The codes state that nurses have the responsibility of promoting the well-being and health of their patients. The codes further state that nurses have the responsibility of providing safe, competent and ethical care to their patients (McCormack, McCance, 2011). Based on these codes, Mary has a responsibility of promoting the health and well-being of her patients. She also has a responsibility of providing safe and ethical care to her patients. However, based on the little girl’s circumcision case, it is clear that Mary may not be able to provide safe and competent care to her patient. It is also clear that she might not be able to promote the well-being and health of her patients. Consequently, inasmuch as Mary wants to retain her job, it is clear that she might not be able to offer quality services. Indeed, she might jeopardize the safety of her patients. In this case, the hospital’s management team has a responsibility of promoting patients’ safety during their hospitalization period. Given that Mary is not able to take good care of her patients because of her age, then the hospital’s management team has a responsibility of forcing Mary to retire against her wish (Marquis, & Huston, 2009). The fact remains that she jeopardizes the safety of her patients.
Appropriate Course of Action
In such a case, the best course of action would be to organize for Mary’s retirement. Consequently, rather than forcing Mary to retire, it would be important to acknowledge the fact that she has a right to retain her job despite the few challenges here and there. Indeed, she deserves to retain her job because her medical results show that she is fit for the job despite the reality showing otherwise. Based on this fact, it would be wrong to force Mary to retire on the basis of her age (Jones, 2007). The best thing would be to request Mary to retire voluntarily on the basis of her inability to perform her duties in the right way. This way Mary would be willing to retire because she would retain her dignity. The management responsibilities demand this to happen because it would be wrong for the hospital’s management team to sit back and watch Mary jeopardize patients’ safety. It is true that working might be the Mary’s only reason for living, but it would be wrong to allow Mary to risk the lives of patient because she might die if she is forced to retire. Retaining Mary at the hospital might be more dangerous than forcing her to retire because she might risk the lives of her patients.
References
Jones, R. (2007). Nursing leadership and management: Theories, processes, and practice. Philadelphia: F.A Davis Co.
Marquis, B., & Huston, C. (2009). Leadership roles and management functions in nursing: Theory and application. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer health.
McCormack, B., McCance, T. (2011). Person-centered nursing: Theory and practice. New York: John Wiley & Sons.