Ethical Issue:

 

Don’t know if we should include the safety feature (which then will make it less affordable to these hospitals or not include it but risk the spread of disease

 

1: The facts

Trying to develop a low-cost syringe for the developing world. The syringes currently do not include a safety feature. The safety feature we have designed a syringe to auto-disable after a single use. If we adde the feature it will make in unaffordable to hospitals and clinics. If we don’t add it there may be a potential for the spread of disease

 

2: The Stakeholders

1. You (the designer)
2. Hospitals/ Clinics
3. Doctors/Nurses

 

3: Motivations of the Stakeholders

1. You (the designer) – you want to develop a low cost syringe. If the syringe is successful then you will probably gain recognition and also there could be potentially be more funding for your work
2. Hospitals/Clinics – being able to have an affordable syringe  will then allow them to have more funds. They would be able to use the funds they would spend on the syringe in different departments
3. Doctors/Nurses – they want to make sure their patients are safe. They want to provide the best possible healthcare they are able to.

 

4: Potential Approaches (numbered for corresponding solutions)

1. Duty-Based Thinking
   1. It  seems right to have the syringe that would be able to decrease the spread of disease 
2. Virtue Based 
   1. If it is unaffordable to hospitals then the syrigne would not be put to good use

 

1. Potential Solution 1: Keep the safety feature on the syringe 
   1. Pros
      1. The potential for disease would decrease significantly
      2. Patients would be receiving the best option that is available
      3. Doctors and nurses would not to need to worry about having to do additional steps with the syringe
   2. Cons
      1. The syringe could potentially be unaffordable to clinics and hospitals
      2. Doctors and nurses may need to be educated on how to use the device which may cost more money
2. Potential Solution  2: Do not include the safety feature on the syringe 
   1. Pros
      1. This will be more affordable to hospitals/clinics
      2. Doctors and nurses will be more familiar with this syringe because it is what they have been using
      3. Quality of health would not change because patients have been receiving this quality previously
   2. Cons
      1. May increase the potential for the spread of disease
      2. Patients would not be receiving the best care
      3. If it is not handled properly it could potentially be even putting healthcare workers at risk
3. Potential Solution  3: Instead of including a one time safety feature on the syringe include a pamphlet that demonstrates to doctors and nurses how to dispose of it properly
   1. Pros
      1. This would be more affordable to hospitals/clinics
      2. Educating health care workers how to use the syringe instead of relying on a device
      3. Doctor/nurses would be familiar with the syringe
   2. Cons
      1. This may be time consuming especially in a time of need
      2. It still may not be affordable depending on the size of the pamphlet and how much it costs to manufacture
      3. There is is still a potential for the spread of disease

5: Seek additional assistance

1. I would review previous cases and see if any designers had done something similar to it and look at what material they used
2. Peers- consulting with other designers to find a cheaper and more inexpensive way to include the safety feature
3. Inner reflection- would making a syringe that would decrease the potential for disease matter if hospitals/clinics can’t afford it

6: Best Course of action

1. I think the best course of action would to include the safety feature. There is no possible solution that would not potentially put patients at risk. Although it may not be affordable for hospitals/clinics is they were to buy in bulk maybe the cost would lower significantly

7: Implications

1. Social
   1. People would be healthier in general
2. Technology
   1. The new safety feature would be a new technological advance for the country so it could teach them about new technology
   2. Economic
      1. Because the syringe may not be able to afford it it may cause people to lose their jobs or hospitals/clinic to have to take out loans