How would you handle this ethical problem?

[Gauss44]

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Today, at my volunteer job, a nurse approached me, tried to hand me a credit card that was NOT mine, and asked me to use it to buy a coffee for a patient. Of course, I refused. When I refused, she kept pressuring me saying that I would not have to sign, that it's perfectly legal, and other stuff. I did NOT give in, and would NOT use a credit card that wasn't mine. Once the nurse gave up trying to pressure me, and left, I came up with another idea. I approached her and said that I would buy the coffee with my own card, she could pay me back next time we work together, or sometime in the future. And that's what I did.

My main question, is whether or not you think I should inform my boss, the volunteer coordinator, about what took place, or not? And why?

Also, what do you think of how I handled this?

EDIT: Earlier, I was running off the idea that this was either the nurse's personal credit card or the patient's credit card. The question that just occurred to me is whether or not hospitals have business credit cards that employees are allowed to use for this kind of purchase? I guess, I still probably wouldn't be an authorized user... Any thoughts?

 

[eteshoe]

Was the credit card the nurse's?

 

[Gauss44]

Was the credit card the nurse's?

I don't know who's card it was. I saw it and she tried to hand it to me. It was blue. I didn't take the card and couldn't quite see the name on it. I'm guessing it was either the nurse's personal card, the patient's card, and just a while ago, I started wondering if the hospital has business cards... Most importantly, I know the card was not mine.

 

[eteshoe]

I don't know who's card it was. I saw it and she tried to hand it to me. It was blue. I didn't take the card and couldn't quite see the name on it. I'm guessing it was either the nurse's personal card, the patient's card, and just a while ago, I started wondering if the hospital has business cards... Most importantly, I know the card was not mine.

Then no one can really comment on the situation. If the card belonged to the nurse, I wouldn't call it an ethical issue or anything since she was giving you explicit directions on using the card. Now if she just found the card on the ground and asked you to use it - that would be an ethical violation. There's no point in really reporting her since you don't have all the info. I honestly don't see what happened as that big of an issue but you (and others) may have different interpretations.

 

[wholeheartedly]

This isn't something I would stress over. I don't think you need to notify anyone, unless someone comes around looking for a missing credit card.

I guess my first question would have been "Who's card is this?". if it was hers, I might've gotten the coffee either with that card or my own, depending on the situation. if patient's, probably would've talked to patient and given it back and gotten it with my own card again depending on situation.

Also, hospitals do have business cards. I have one. Although it usually wouldn't be used for something like this.

 

[popopopop]

That is a dumb nurse/person if he/she asked you to commit fraud over coffee. Chances are it's her card or a co-worker's. We do this often where I work since we can't always afford to leave the unit. I don't use volunteers like that though.

 

[echidna001]

I think you handled it fine and don't think you need to pursue it further (why stir the pot over something so small when you could just walk away?). Whenever someone asks me to do something outside of my job description, I inform them of that and tell them I feel uncomfortable performing the task. Given the scenario, it sounds like you were either being given the nurses' credit card or the patient's (I've seen patient's/patient's family ask staff to run errands for them before - it's pretty much an unspoken law to not get involved with that). I wouldn't go as far to say either of these scenarios are "unethical" but you were right to keep your distance.

 

[Goro]

You did the right thing. I would ask the nurse whose card it was before complaining to a higher-up.

Today, at my volunteer job, a nurse approached me, tried to hand me a credit card that was NOT mine, and asked me to use it to buy a coffee for a patient. Of course, I refused. When I refused, she kept pressuring me saying that I would not have to sign, that it's perfectly legal, and other stuff. I did NOT give in, and would NOT use a credit card that wasn't mine. Once the nurse gave up trying to pressure me, and left, I came up with another idea. I approached her and said that I would buy the coffee with my own card, she could pay me back next time we work together, or sometime in the future. And that's what I did.

My main question, is whether or not you think I should inform my boss, the volunteer coordinator, about what took place, or not? And why?

Also, what do you think of how I handled this?

EDIT: Earlier, I was running off the idea that this was either the nurse's personal credit card or the patient's credit card. The question that just occurred to me is whether or not hospitals have business credit cards that employees are allowed to use for this kind of purchase? I guess, I still probably wouldn't be an authorized user... Any thoughts?

 

[deleted731525]

If it was her card you should have just got the coffee.

 

[Seattle Mariners Fan]

Bit sheltered?

Lines today in business are so blurred that anything short of outright corruption is commonplace, and active corruption is far more common than anyone lets on.

Do you have evidence this credit card was funded by human trafficking? Terrorist cells? If so, then complain about it. If you discover it's funded by nurses drug sales to elderly patients, maybe give her a chiding. Otherwise, let it go man.

 

[bkennedy]

When I worked at the hospital we would do big orders all the time on break. I would have five different nurses credit cards if I made the food run. It is not a big deal unless it was the patients. If it was the nurse's card and she gave you permission it would be fine. I would not use a patient's card...ever.

 

[Law2Doc]

If you had the card holders permission, and you weren't signing or otherwise holding yourself out as the person on the card, it wouldn't actually be an "ethical" issue. Just one you weren't comfortable with, which is fine but not at all the same thing. The nurse however is very possibly breaching an agreement with the credit card company.

 

[mspeedwagon]

I give my credit card to my friends all the time for Starbucks runs. They have my explicit consent to use it for that purchase and Starbucks doesn't have you sign (unless you are adding money to a rewards cards). Never thought twice about it. I've been doing that for about a decade.

 

[DrMikeP]

I've given my card to students and others and asked them to get me and usually them coffee. That's pretty typical in hospital settings, as people often can't leave the floor and sometimes the float doesn't show or someone is in need and you miss break. I seriously doubt the nurse stole someone's credit card, but since you didn't ask you don't know. At this point I'd truly just let it go, as anything you do after the fact could make it worse. If it gets brought up in the future just say you didn't feel comfortable using someone's card and offer to buy the nurse coffee.

FYI, there is nothing wrong with using someone's (if it is their's) credit card with permission to purchase something for them.