Scenario – John is a 32 year old male nurse working in a prison. He is married and has two children at home- one boy at 14 years of age and a girl that just turned ten years of age. A new prisoner to the institution has requested that John be a healthcare surrogate for him because he is 72 years of age and not in good health. John discovers that this prisoner is a pedophile and although no one at work is aware of this, John’s son was molested by the father of a friend of his sons while visiting their home. The son has gone through therapy and they continue to have problems with the son, John is hopeful that his son will improve his mental health.
John feels divided because on one hand he feels obligated to serve as an RN professional and on the other hand he feels very hateful of the pedophile lifestyle that seems to encompass the newly admitted prisoner.
Questions:
1. What kinds of issues ethically is John dealing with?
2. How would you counsel John in his dilemma?
3. Finally, what would be a reasonable approach to this problem that John has professionally and personally?
