Employees have rights including equal pay, refusing to participate in care they disagree with, freedom from harassment, and privacy. They also have responsibilities like patient advocacy, maintaining confidentiality, adhering to safe practices, and reporting unethical behavior. The document provides helpful advice for employees including taking responsibility, including patients in decisions, explaining risks/benefits, and honoring patient wishes. It stresses compassion, non-judgement, and avoiding bias.

2. Chapter 22
Employee Rights and
Responsibilities

3. Employee Rights - I
• Equal pay
• Refuse to participate in care
– pharmacist refusal to fill a prescriptions
• Question patient care
– paving her way to heaven
• Freedom from sexual harassment
• Suggest changing physicians

4. Employee Rights - II
• Treated with dignity and respect
• Privacy and confidentiality
• Blow the whistle
• Freedom from intimidation
• Noninterference with employee activities

5. Employee Responsibilities - I
• Patient advocacy
• Compassion
• Honor patient wishes
• Maintain confidentiality
• Maintain employee privacy and confidentiality
• Adhere to safe practices
– Comply with sterile technique protocols

6. Employee Responsibilities - II
• Exercise appropriate judgment
• Adhere to professional standards
• Maintain professional relationships
• Report unethical behavior
• Protect patients from harm
• Report patient abuse

7. Helpful Advice - I
• Do not blame others for your mistakes.
• Do not say “We are short staffed”; solve the problem.
• Do not say that the physician is not present when he
or she is.
• Do not say that the physician will soon be here when
he or she has already left the building.
• Do not say that this will not hurt, when you know it
will.

8. Helpful Advice - II
• Do not say that you are busy when you are not.
• Take responsibility for caring and communicating.
• Include the patient in the decision-making process.
Encourage, do not discourage, the patient to
participate in his or her healthcare decisions.
• Take the time to explain to patients the
risks, benefits, and alternatives to each course of
treatment.
• Avoid the paternalistic approach to medical care. Do
not withhold information from the patient in an
attempt to sway the patient to accept your point of
view.

9. Helpful Advice - III
• Be careful not to get anxious, for example, because of
time constraints and thus push the patient into making
hasty and sometimes regretted decisions.
• Show respect and sensitivity to a patient’s needs.
• Show that you value the patient’s decisions.
• Accept and honor the fact that the patient has his or
own needs and desires.
• Assure the patient that you will honor his or her care
decisions in compliance with law.

10. Helpful Advice – IV
• Listen to what the patient is saying without
interruption.
• Do not make fun of a patient’s decision-making
capacity. Patients are human and have the frailties
that we all must someday endure.
• Concentrate on the patient’s wishes and instructions.
• Be firm but polite when others attempt to speak for
the patient.

11. Helpful Advice - V
• Hold strong by honoring the patient’s wishes.
• Prohibit those who would demean and criticize a
patient’s wishes because of his or her frail condition.
• Remember that your feelings and those of the family
may be different than the feelings of the patient.
However, it is the patient who faces the consequences
of his or her decisions. You
are, therefore, responsible for considering the
patient’s wishes sacred and protecting the patient
from those who would disregard them.

12. Helpful Advice - VI
• Avoid the pitfalls of prejudice and bias.
• Ensure that medical information is only
accessed as required for treatment and
facilitating payment claim.

13. THE CAREGIVER’S PLEDGE
• I will be compassionate.
• I will not neglect my duties and responsibilities.
• I will read instructions and follow protocols.
• I will seek verification of questionable orders.
• I will report concerns for patient safety (e.g., staffing
concerns).
• I will not assume responsibilities beyond my
capabilities.
• I will call for help when a patient’s medical needs
suddenly change.
• I will continuously improve my skills and participate
in continuing education opportunities.

14. Review Questions
1.Describe why it is sometimes difficult to
balance the rights of both employees and their
employers. Take into consideration the
material in Chapters 21 and 22.
2. Why was the Equal Pay Act of 1963 enacted?
3. Describe the rights of employees.
4. Describe the responsibilities of employees.