Reference no: EM132402203

Maggie Dembowski, a nursing student, is taking part in a health fair at the Uptown Mall. She's takes blood pressures with a cuff that had not been calibrated in a long time. Despite this fact, she suggests that those with borderline and high readings visit their personal physicians. She also does simple checks for blood sugar and makes referrals where indicated. She has no idea whether the machine has been calibrated and what it's margin of error is. She has no idea whether any of the people she refers will go for help, whether she has needlessly alarmed them, or whether she is wasting her Saturday afternoon at the mall.

What is the health care professional's duty with regard to the calibration of instruments? Is it ethical to use a cuff that has not been calibrated for a long time? What harms can follow from inaccurate test results? What are the professional's responsibilities to individuals during such screenings?