Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You do the scaling.
You are very upset. You understand that if you do the scaling, you could
lose your license if the licensing body finds out. You also understand that
you are breaking the code of ethics if you do it.
But you feel a lot of pressure to do the work. And Emily is your patient
and you don't want to make her unhappy. You also want to make a good impression
at your first job. When you were in school, your instructor told you that
dental assistants have to be good team players. They have to think of the
whole dental team and not just of themselves.
"If I don't do the scaling, that makes me a poor team player," you think
to yourself. You decide to do the scaling.
From then on, the dentists expect you to do scaling regularly when the
hygienist is occupied with other patients.
You resent it, but you're afraid to refuse. You no longer enjoy your job.
You're concerned you're not doing the scaling well since you weren't specifically
trained for it. Whenever you go on vacation or take sick days, you worry that
the dental assistant from the temp agency will find out and report you.
You wish you had taken a stand in the beginning.
"Some dental assistants feel subservient to a person in authority,"
says Marlene Robinson, the executive director of a dental assistant association.
"They need to establish personal boundaries."