Ethical Decision-making project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethical Decision-making project - Essay Example Furthermore, as already reported in other studies, some people usually become violent upon intoxicating their minds. The supervisor cannot take the worker’s ability to become violent for granted because the employee has even refused to take a test sanctioned by the institutions policy (Towsley-Cook & Young, 2007, p. 49). Persistence by the supervisor that the worker should take the tests may present more problems. The conduct of the worker amounts to insubordination because of appearing in the workplace in a condition of intoxication and further refusing to take the necessary tests as required by the institution’s substance abuse policy (Towsley-Cook & Young, 2007). It is noteworthy that forcefully testing the worker will amount to a violation of the independence and privacy rights, which may attract legal proceedings. The ethical problem occurring in the case is associated with a locus of authority issue. This is because the supervisor upon being informed that the worker behaved in a drunken manner decided to identify with him the signs he also outwardly observed (Towsley-Cook & Young, 2007, p. 51). The supervisor reminded the worker that according the substance abuse policy, his conduct is a ground for drug testing. The supervisor acting within authority requests that the employee undergo a blood test, which he refuses. The supervisor then remains with the dilemma whether to force the worker to take the test or to send him away from duty, or whether to allow him to continue working. This is a critical case of a locus of authority issue (Towsley-Cook & Young, 2007). However, the supervisor can still manage to handle the situation by barring the worker from attending to patients. This conduct also amounts to the ethical dilemma for the supervisor. This is because while ordering the employee to take the test, the supervisor is already aware that the worker might be having health