Which ethical approach reflect, deontology or consequentialism

/in /by

Question 3:

Which ethical approach does your response to question 2 reflect, deontology or consequentialism? Explain.

Question 2:

Do you believe the decision of NSWNMA members to go ahead with the strike despite the IRC order to cancel the industrial action was ethical? Why/Why not?

My Response to question 2:

I believe that the decision of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) to go ahead with the strike was ethical. The reason for this is because I believe each individual is entitled to have an opinion and fight for what they believe is right. In this case, thousands of health workers fought for their rights of healthy working hours and increased pay. Especially during COVID-19, staff shortages became an issue across Australia, not just within the health sector but in every industry. The decrease of nurses and midwives caused a strain and therefore caused longer working hours due to a lack of health workers. The decision of members of the NSWNMA to go ahead with the strike was ethical as the mental health of individuals is critically important. Therefore, the industrial action involved exhausted health workers trying to communicate with the government that the working conditions within the health sector are not up to standard and is causing health workers to leave their jobs due to their personal lives and wellbeing not being a priority anymore. If the members of the NSWNMA decided to not go ahead with the industrial action then voices would not have been heard and changes wouldn’t have been made. Nurses and midwives still would be experiencing overly long working hours and underpaid work if the members of the NSWNMA decided to not go ahead with the industrial action. Due to COVID-19 settling down recently, this has been a big influence along with the industrial action in lessening working hours for health workers. The ethical decision to go ahead with the protest has allowed nurses and midwives across all of NSW to stand up for their patients and themselves so that the government can hear their voices and make a change for healthier working conditions and increased pay. Overall, the members of the NSWNMA did not back down to the IRC and made an ethical decision to demand for change.