Compare the benefits and drawbacks of strictly following protocol to the consequences of a nurse performing whatever procedures she feels are best.

Julia and Dr. Murphy discuss the ethical and procedural challenges of authorizing nurses to perform lifesaving procedures on their own. Compare the benefits and drawbacks of strictly following protocol to the consequences of a nurse performing whatever procedures she feels are best.

I’m of the mind that if we truly believe a cause of action is right, we ask forgiveness not permission. Ethics...a topic that colors everything I do. I will never sacrifice my ethics for ‘the rules’. If it comes to protocol versus ethics, ethics wins every time...whatever the consequences. For that, I have great admiration for Julia.

I believe protocol should be followed unless it is a matter of life or death as the case with Dempsey. There were no doctors available. However there would have been consequences if he had died.

Protocols are there to guide people in the right direction toward a desired outcome. In the case of an emergency situation, however, if following protocol will not achieve the desired outcome, then another method must be employed. The human brain is capable of making informed decisions. To do otherwise could be considered robotic and lacking human compassion.

I agree with Maggie that the protocols should be strictly followed unless it is a life and death situation. The protocols and training are there for a reason. There can be severe consequences if protocols aren’t followed or the procedures are done without proper training and the person dies or has complications.

Like others have said protocol should be followed unless it is a life and death situation, however, this process is to maintain in a normal medical facility but sometimes as Julia experienced in the war front exceptions need to be made to save lives or even try to ensure a better life.

Much like the above observations, I believe protocol should be followed until the situation becomes a matter of life and death. The male doctor made the situation personal. Instead of stepping back, he turned it into an "I'm the doctor, you're just a nurse" situation, which unfortunately still happens today.

I think that protocol must be followed in normal circumstances, hospitals, ERs, etc. These were not normal circumstances! There always has to be room for someone taking responsibilities that are not his or hers but they must also face any consequences of their actions. These nurses, and their peers across the battlefields of history, have always been more competent than they were given credit for and because they were women seldom listened to...They had to be very brave to buck the system and do what they know is right.

Obviously, there must be protocols to protect patients in a medical setting. It would be bedlam and dangerous if everyone acted independently according to their own set of ethics. However, in the case of Private Dempsey, Julia tried to follow the protocols, but acted when not acting would mean death.

As long as a nurse has the authority to follow her instincts only when there is experience and skill sufficient to warrant such independence. Right and left limits need to be agreed to by all.

Protocols need to be followed, but in the case of a war or something similar, do what needs to be done to save a life, then deal with the outcome.

Simple - the life of a patient! Waiting for a Dr could kill the patient when the nurse was able to administer the treatment. The drawback was loss of life - but doing nothing would also cause that loss of life - so being treated by a nurse instead of a Dr should be preferable in many situations.