Whistleblowing: The Patient Or The Paycheck Summary

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Recommended: Importance of patients rights and responsibilities

The article “Whistleblowing: The Patient or the Paycheck?” was written by Tracy Hill, BSN, RN (2010) to discuss the ethical issue of whistleblowing in healthcare, in particular, how it pertains to nursing. The following paper summarizes the article which addressed the ethics, barriers and consequences, and support and for whistleblowing. Hill (2010) explained whistleblowing as taking action to uncover negligence or malpractice and in the instance of nursing this would occur within a healthcare organization. Hill (2010) goes on to emphasize that nurses hold the ethical responsibility to be advocates for patients by practicing principles such as virtue, Kantian duty, utilitarianism as well as beneficence. However, while nurses hold an ethical duty to act in the best interest of and protect patients from harm, whistleblowing …show more content…

Hill claims “Whistleblowing is personally and professionally risky and creates considerable moral distress as nurses weigh the consequences of their actions against the duties of the profession” (Hill, 2010, p.6). In order promote patient advocacy nurses need to be able to do so without experiencing repercussions and this can happen with the right support (Hill, 2010). Hill (2010) expressed the need to have universal laws that support and safeguard nurses when it comes to whistleblowing. Hill (2010) reported that laws are different for each state but listed several federal laws that are in place such as The Paul Revere Freedom to Warn Act, The Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2007, and The False Claims Act. All of which protects federal workers. Hill (2010) urges that when it comes safeguarding and supporting whistleblowing nurses must come together to push for stronger legislation at both the state and federal

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