Sunday, November 13, 2011

Chain of Command

Has the concept of Chain of command died? I Trained in many hospitals and was always taught to go to my supervisor with anything unusual first, then it traveled up the Chain of Command. I've been thinking a lot about Penn State's problems. The person who witnessed went up the chain of command and so did the Coach. Are they responsible for what the higher ups did or didn't do? Isn't the guilty one the one who abused the children?
In institutions, military, education this concept was followed, Is it wrong?

 When I was an LPN witnessed someone shooting up a med in the women's locker room. Reported it to my supervisor who informed me that the person had a medical condition. Now if instead I had called the police, What would have happened to the person with the illness, me and my higher ups? This was an innocent example but could have turned much worse if I hadn't gone to the supervisor.

If I reported something or had something reported to me, Might I lose my job if the higher ups didn't take care of the problem? Just bouncing something around here. What do you think?