Swiping Supplies

Swiping Supplies

                                An article in the New York Times Magazine titled “Swiping Supplies” by Randy Cohen discusses under what circumstances is it ethical to steal items from the workplace. A man wrote a letter explaining that he was a nurse, and his aunt called him at work saying she was extremely ill and needed an ambulance. Rather than calling her one, he took about $50 worth of medical supplies and treated her at her home. Was this ethical? Cohen seems to be on the fence about the situation, explaining that he understands the pressure the man felt, but at the same time a home is not a good place to perform a diagnosis and treat. On the other hand, he saved thousands of medical bills by not taking her to the E.R. After a tough deliberation,  Cohen’s verdict was that the action was unethical.

                As for myself, I can really understand why this person felt the need to take matters into their own hands. He is a trained professional, and he treated her successfully while saving thousands of dollars to the taxpayers and his aunt at the same time. A measly $50 worth of medical supplies were stolen, but they would have been used on the woman in the hospital anyway, so they hardly went to waste and they would not be missed. What it really comes down to is not whether or not it is ethical to take supplies from work, but rather is it ethical to treat a relative at home? There is no black and white when it comes to morality and ethics. Morality is subjective; meaning what’s moral for one may not be for another. It just depends on the situation. I would not condemn this man’s actions.

Article link here