Your organization includes several pediatric and neonatal intensive care units, located in different hospitals. The facilities were built at different times in recent history and so have different layouts – some with open bays, some with multi-bed rooms, and some with private rooms.
The province has been facing a public health outbreak where hundreds of people are testing positive for a little-known pathogen. While public health experts figure out what is going on, it has been determined that the number of people entering and leaving the facility should be absolutely minimized and that anyone entering the facility should fully dressed in PPE – which itself is in short supply. As a result, all NICU and pediatric units have been observing a strict policy of allowing only one parent at a time to be present. Staff, also in short supply, are spending time ensuring that parents coming onto the unit are donning and doffing PPE appropriately.
The number of positive cases in the community has gone down over the past week and there is a sense that things could be getting better – though still little is known about the virus and a vaccine is far away.
The staff at one of the newer facilities, which has mostly private rooms, is deeply committed to a model of family-centred care and has begun to allow two caregivers to visit at a time. Leaders at the other facilities are quite upset and reach out to ask for your guidance on what they should do. (You suspect that they really want you to say the facility that’s gone rogue should get back in line!)
As the ethics consultant, you want to support the team and the organization as well as possible. But you notice that your own anxiety is going up. You’re annoyed at the one facility that looks to be acting independently. And you’re scared that whatever you suggest, someone is going to be at greater risk of getting hurt. You yourself are tired at the prospect of having to deal with another charged situation. And you’re also proud and excited and honoured to have been asked to help in the situation.
You take a deep breath and remind yourself your biggest asset is your critical thinking toolbox. So, you take a few minutes to do your own analysis…