A Tale of Two Stories Quite often in life, people encounter situations where what they are expected to do conflicts with their morals and values. In situations where this occurs, the person must make a decision as to whether it is worth it to put aside their values or if they are going to take a stand and act according to their values. A person’s decision can be telling of their personality and the importance they put on their job performance. I am fortunate enough to have not encountered many situations similar to this, but there have been a few. One of the most prominent happened a few years ago when I was working as a lifeguard over the summer in my hometown of Sylvania, Ohio. In this situation, there was a patron who fell and hit her head on the concrete pool deck and we were administering first aid to her, she adamantly requested that we don’t call an ambulance. The manager working at the time complied with the request because it meant less paperwork for him and instructed us to finishing bandaging her head and send her home. While finishing administering first aid, I noticed that she wasn’t entirely coherent and decided that it would not be safe for her to drive home on her own. I made the choice to go against what she and my manager said and called an ambulance. They were both upset by my decision but I felt it was the right decision, in terms of ensuring the woman’s safety and reducing the liability of the pool. When the EMS arrived, they took her into the ambulance where she passed out from dehydration and as they were collecting her belongings from the pool deck they found a Gatorade bottle filled with an alcoholic mixed drink. If the EMS had not been called, there’s a chance that she could’ve passed out while driving and things could’ve turned out much worse. I am satisfied with the decision I made because if I hadn’t made that decision, the woman could have been seriously injured and there’s a possibility the pool could’ve been held liable for it. Ideally, I would not have even hesitated about calling the EMS but when a superior explicitly tells you not to do something, it is often tough to defy their orders, even when doing so seems like the correct choice. It would have been easier to act if the manager had been looking out for the safety of the patron, not worrying about having to do paperwork. If I had been the first responder to the scene, it would have been easier to act because I would’ve called EMS as a precautionary measure. Overall, I am satisfied with how I handled the dilemma, and having been able to see what could’ve happened solidifies my feelings. Situations similar to this happen everyday, and people are forced to make quick decisions where they may be conflicted about what is right and what is expected of them. Sometimes, it may be most beneficial to put your values aside, but in just as many cases it is not. It is up to the individual in each situation to make that decision, and in my situation sticking to my values was more important than listening to my superior. A woman fell and hit her head at the pool I worked as a lifeguard at over the summer, and the manager did not want to call 911 because it would mean additional paperwork for him. While dealing with her injuries, it did not seem appropriate to me to let her go and try to get home on her own volition. After the EMS arrived, the woman passed out in the ambulance and an alcoholic drink was discovered among her belongings. If I had not called the EMS, something much worse could’ve happened and it would have been on my conscience that I did not speak up. I am satisfied with the decision I made and for maintaining my values as more important than doing what I was told to do.