A female patient is admitted through the emergency department to the hospital. An emergency termination of pregnancy is needed due to immediate danger to her life. One member of the surgical team refused to take part in the procedure due to personal moral beliefs about terminating a pregnancy. A replacement was made immediately.
Considering both the rights of providers and the patient involved, in a two-page paper, address the following questions:
• Are there any ethical issues presented in this case? Why or why not?
• Are there any legal issues presented in this case? Why or why not?
• Will management have to address this refusal by the surgical team member who opted out of the surgical procedure? Why or why not?