Nancy Moore, a registered nurse, is assisting Dr. Brown while he performs a minor surgical procedure. Dr. Brown is known to have a quick temper, and he becomes angry if a surgical procedure is delayed for any reason. As Nancy is handling a needle with suture thread to Dr. Brown, she feels a slight prick in her sterile gloves. She tells Dr. Brown about this and explains that she will have to be excused from the procedure for a few minutes while she changes gloves. He becomes angry and tells her to "forget about it and help me finish."

1. Will it be harmful to anyone if Nancy wears the gloves during the rest of the procedure, as it was just a slight prick and the patient's wound does not appear to be infected?
2. Who is at fault if the patient does develop an infection?
3. What recourse does Nancy have if she develops a blood-borne pathogen infection, such as hepatitis, from the small hole in her gloves?
4. Is this an ethical or a legal issue, or both?
5. Are there any federal regulations that might help Nancy in the event of an injury or infection? If so, what are they?

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

1 It may not seem harmful at the moment but wearing the gloves with a hole could potentially lead to ... View the full answer