Reflection Paper

ASHLAND UNIVERSITY DWIGHT SCHAR COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCES

Reflection: Case Study and Ethical Decision Making Model NUHS 510

Purpose of this assignment:

 Search for and apply an appropriate decision making model to an ethical dilemma case study.

Content/Grading: This assignment is worth a possible 25 points, per the following grading

rubric.

Criteria 4 points 2 Points 1 Point

Timeliness Submitted on due date

Submitted 1-3 days past due date.

Submitted 4 or more days past due date but before semester end.

Criteria 19-21 points 16-18 Points 14-15 Points 12-13 Points

Analysis and Format

You have thoroughly addressed all required elements in the assignment You have selected an appropriate ethical decision making model and demonstrate excellent application of the model to the provided case study. You provide appropriate discussion of 1 or more potential solutions to the dilemma. APA citation is in correct format. Your response is free, or nearly free of errors in grammar and/or sentence structure. You meet, but do not exceed, the page limit

You have thoroughly addressed all required elements in the assignment. You have selected an appropriate ethical decision making model and demonstrate good application of the model to the provided case study. You provide appropriate discussion of 1 or more potential solutions to the dilemma. APA citation is correct or near correct format (1 error). Your response is free, or nearly free of errors in grammar and/or sentence structure. You may not meet, or you may exceed, the page limit.

You have addressed some, but not all, required elements in the assignment. You have selected an appropriate ethical decision making model and demonstrate beginning level application of the model to the provided case study. You provide some discussion of 1 or more potential solutions to the dilemma. APA citation has some errors. Your response may include several errors in grammar and/or sentence structure. You may not meet, or you may exceed, the page limit.

You have minimally addressed some, but not all, required elements in the assignment. You have selected an appropriate ethical decision making model but demonstrate limited application of the model to the provided case study. You provide no discussion of any potential solution(s) to the dilemma. You provide no citation for your model. Your response contains significant errors in grammar and/or sentence structure. You may not meet, or you may exceed, the page limit.

Total Points 25

Process:

1. Read the case study provided at the end of this document. This case study is appropriate for

consideration by students from all disciplines enrolled in this course, as it looks at health

related claims in the context of exercise. It also builds on content we consider in this module

related to the impact of media.

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2. Search the literature for at ethical decision making model, or a model that provides steps to

consider an ethical dilemma and come to one or more potential solutions. These types of

models are often used by ethics committees to consider dilemmas. Your selected model

may be found in a peer-reviewed journal article (primary source) or a textbook (secondary

source). Ethical decision-making models are available in sport literature, but you are not

limited to that as an option. You may use any ethical decision-making model that can be

applied to the case study.

3. In a word-processed document, create a 2 page, double-spaced reflection paper. In this

paper, you will apply the model to the case study that I have provided and flesh out each

step. You will need to create a title page and a reference page, so you will have a total of 4

pages, with one APA reference (the reference for your model). Although I would like APA

format for the reference, this is not a formal scholarly paper; it is acceptable to list each step

of the model numerically and then provide your response to that step. You may also include

bulleted lists as you consider the various steps of the model.

4. Submit completed reflection paper to the course drop box. Due date is noted on syllabus

calendar.

Case Study: Health Risk and Sport Participation

Adapted from: Malloy, D.C., Ross, S., & Zakus, D.H. (2003). Sport ethics: Concepts and cases

in sport and recreation. Canada: Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Brian is a star linebacker in a Division II football program. He has established records for the

most single-season and career tackles for linebackers. He is about to enter his senior year.

There are questions about his health status. Serious concerns have been raised about his

continued participation in football due to the potential health risk involved. Brian is distraught by

recent events that have contributed to potential health risks for him. He has been playing

football in an organized league for more than half of his life. All of his close friends are football

players. In his own words, he “lives and breathes to play football.”

During spring training following his junior year he lay paralyzed on the turf after a tackle, but

recovered shortly afterward. On many prior occasions following tackles he has felt numbness in

both arms and hands. That feeling was much different from a stinger, or burner, which creates a

tingling sensation in one arm for the other, due to extreme pressure on a nerve. On the most

serious occasion, Brian made a tackle, fell to the turf, and lay still, paralyzed. He was

transported from the field and admitted to the hospital, where he spent three days. During this

time, both sensation and movement returned. To determine the cause of the numbness, Brian

was referred to a neurosurgeon.

Following a thorough examination involving x-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which

produces an image of bone and soft tissue such as muscles and nerves, the diagnosis was

spinal stenosis, a narrower than normal spinal canal. Based on that information, the

neurosurgeon recommended that Brian not play football at all due to the increased risk involved,

potentially permanent paralysis. Aware of the crushing disappointment his recommendation

caused, the neurosurgeon suggested that Brian obtain a second opinion. Another neurosurgeon

in a city some distance away was consulted. This physician confirmed the assessment and

concurred with the recommendation to stop playing football. At that point, it appeared that

Brian’s football career was finished and he was devastated.

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Shortly after that, the head football trainer attended a meeting of the National Athletic Trainers

Association. There he heard a presentation by an orthopedic surgeon, an expert on cervical

spinal stenosis, who claimed that men with the condition were not necessarily in any more

danger of paralysis than those with normal spinal columns. Some medical research was cited to

support his position along with the explanation that paralysis due to football injury was caused

by improper tackling technique (headfirst) and when that happened, the diameter of the spinal

column was irrelevant. This information was conveyed to Brian, who now had some basis for a

possible return to the football team for his senior year. This is provided him a ray of hope. He

eagerly shared it with his friends on the team.

The earlier recommendations of neurosurgeons did not totally forbid him from play, but left the

final decision in his hands. As the season approach, Brian started leaning more toward playing.

He had maintained game level fitness by training in the gym with his teammates. Brian, a young

man of 23, discussed the matter with his parents, who reluctantly agreed with his decision to

play in his senior year, frightened of the risk but knowing that Brian’s life revolved around

playing football and that medical opinions were mixed. His love of the game the deciding factor.

He approached the head coach and indicated his desire to play. His friends on the team were

ecstatic at his decision to return; many of them were seniors and this would likely be their last

opportunity to proceed in playoffs to a championship. Given Brian’s history with the team, his

contribution would likely be a critical part of their success this season.

The head coach, who obviously would welcome him back, was careful to exert no pressure on

Brian to either return or not return. Privately concerned about possible health ramifications for

Brian and legal risk for the university athletic program, he replied that he would discuss the

matter with other university administrators and would contact Brian as soon as possible. The

director of athletics then became involved because the school had certain responsibilities in

such cases and the legal liability aspect merited consideration. Another doctor, one of the

university’s team physicians, considered forbidding Brian to play. A committee meeting was held

to discuss all of the aspects related to this complex decision.

At this point, your task is to consider this ethical dilemma as if you were a member of the

decision-making team. As per the directions above, locate and select an appropriate decision-

making model to guide the committee decision in your reflection. As you work your way through

the steps of the model, here are some examples of questions that you might consider:

Who is the appropriate person to make such a decision?

What rights does a student athlete have?

Who would be authorized to forbid the student to play because of health risks (likely a

physician) and what should happen if there is dissenting opinions?

Of the stakeholders, can anyone make an unbiased decision?

Remember, there is no inherent right or wrong answer to an ethical dilemma. I will be looking for

a thorough application of a formal model of your choice that demonstrates to me that you can

consider the various steps of the model as they relate to this case study.

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