Here is a troubling story I heard recently:
"My supervisor was asking questions. Apparently there had been a call to the Trust Line and she was 'investigating.' She said they heard the tape and even though the caller did not identify themselves, they were pretty sure they knew who it was."
Hearing this story, I could imagine how a rational person might lose confidence in the Trust Line, or the organization. It may be easier to believe a story told by someone you know than believe a printed flier posted on a bulletin board. The individual who told me this story believed what she thought her supervisor said. The story itself cannot be true.
No one at Clarian EVER hears the tapes from the Trust Line.
An organization OUTSIDE Clarian manages the Trust Line.
Calls are investigated and who does the investigation depends on the nature of the call.
Any attempt to identify a caller to the trust line, or any action meant to punish a caller who reports concerns would be viewed as retribution and would result in disciplinary action.
People develop relationships with individuals not organizations, so trust in an organization begins with trust in the individuals we encounter every day in our work life. If I believed my supervisor was trying to figure out who the caller was, I might feel pretty vulnerable and might have trouble believing in the faceless organization.
I feel a bit awkward having my picture run every time I write a blog entry here or write an article for our internal newsletter. I have come to appreciate however that having a "face of ethics" can be a benefit to individuals in the organization. I have the privilege to have regular face-to-face contact with key leaders in this organization. I respect them and know them to be leaders with integrity. For me, the Trust Line is not some poster on a wall. I see the faces and know the people who stand behind it.
It is troubling to me to think that this story may have undermined trust in the organization and kept people from coming forward, not just to report concerns, but to report behavior that cannot be tolerated in our organization. Don’t let myths like this one feed fear of retribution. Call the Trust Line when you have concerns. Call again if you feel someone is trying to punish you for expressing your concerns.
Lucia D. Wocial, PhD, RN
Clarian Health Nurse Ethicist
To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Opportunities Indiana.
"My supervisor was asking questions. Apparently there had been a call to the Trust Line and she was 'investigating.' She said they heard the tape and even though the caller did not identify themselves, they were pretty sure they knew who it was."
Hearing this story, I could imagine how a rational person might lose confidence in the Trust Line, or the organization. It may be easier to believe a story told by someone you know than believe a printed flier posted on a bulletin board. The individual who told me this story believed what she thought her supervisor said. The story itself cannot be true.
No one at Clarian EVER hears the tapes from the Trust Line.
An organization OUTSIDE Clarian manages the Trust Line.
Calls are investigated and who does the investigation depends on the nature of the call.
Any attempt to identify a caller to the trust line, or any action meant to punish a caller who reports concerns would be viewed as retribution and would result in disciplinary action.
People develop relationships with individuals not organizations, so trust in an organization begins with trust in the individuals we encounter every day in our work life. If I believed my supervisor was trying to figure out who the caller was, I might feel pretty vulnerable and might have trouble believing in the faceless organization.
I feel a bit awkward having my picture run every time I write a blog entry here or write an article for our internal newsletter. I have come to appreciate however that having a "face of ethics" can be a benefit to individuals in the organization. I have the privilege to have regular face-to-face contact with key leaders in this organization. I respect them and know them to be leaders with integrity. For me, the Trust Line is not some poster on a wall. I see the faces and know the people who stand behind it.
It is troubling to me to think that this story may have undermined trust in the organization and kept people from coming forward, not just to report concerns, but to report behavior that cannot be tolerated in our organization. Don’t let myths like this one feed fear of retribution. Call the Trust Line when you have concerns. Call again if you feel someone is trying to punish you for expressing your concerns.
Lucia D. Wocial, PhD, RN
Clarian Health Nurse Ethicist
To be a registered nurse at Clarian, visit Registered Nursing Opportunities Indiana.
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