Question: Sue Accepted A Position As A Patient Educator With The Franklin County Hospital After Graduating With Her Bachelor’s Degree Last Spring. She Is One Of Five Health Education Specialists Employed By The Patient Education Department. About Three Months After Sue Was Hired, She Observed Tom, The Most Experienced Patient Educator In The Department, Engage …

Sue accepted a position as a patient educator with the Franklin County Hospital after graduating with her bachelor’s degree last spring. She is one of five health education specialists employed by the patient education department. About three months after Sue was hired, she observed Tom, the most experienced patient educator in the department, engage in what she believed was unethical behavior. Sue observed Tom accepting a really nice windbreaker (worth about $80) from a pharmaceutical company representative. In return, the pharmaceutical rep asked Tom to recommend the pharmaceutical company’s glucometer during the diabetes education sessions he ran. Tom said that “that would be no problem.” INSTRUCTIONS Based on the scenario, answer the following questions: • Do you agree with Sue—do you think this is unethical behavior? On what ethical principles do you base your response? Say you agree with Sue; what would be your course of action? Do you think Tom’s supervisor should be involved? Why or why not? • Do you think Tom should be sanctioned by the profession? If so, how could it be enforced?