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Medical Ethics, Bloggers and The Ethics of Integrity

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I was in the doctor’s office. There was no nurse or attendant to act as a witness. The doctor spent a great deal of time examining my breasts. I wasn’t sure it was necessary but he had a white coat, a stethoscope and a degree on the wall. He kept going over my areolas and examining my nipples. The room was cold. I was uncomfortable.

Finally he told me to put my blouse back on and wait in the next room.  I was confused, did something just happen or is it my imagination?

As I sat in the waiting room, I felt ickier by the second. I grabbed my handbag and ran out of the place.  I kept searching my mind to find out what I had said or indicated to him that he could do that kind of thing. Worse, I didn’t feel I had the right to tell him he was way out of line.

The reality of course is that I had done nothing wrong. I was programmed to trust the situation. I had been told that doctors can do no wrong. He was a man with a medical license AND he was a creep. These days I bring my distrust through the door with me, ask questions and have primarily female physicians, if possible.

Why Do We Need Medical Ethics?

We need a common ground of acceptable and responsible behavior, particularly in a setting where humans may be required to expose themselves physically or emotionally. There has to be an understood foundation of trust, communication and respect.

Some people are having trouble with the concept. Denise Tanton in her post on Blogging for Choice briefly mentioned and provided a link to a story about a court case concerning a Nurse Practitioner who is charged with removed a patient IUD without consent. From the Courthouse News Service this is a little more of the story:

A clinic nurse first removed her intrauterine birth-control device without permission, the patient claims in a federal action, then told her that "having the IUD come out was a good thing," because "I personally do not like IUDs. I feel they are a type of abortion. I don't know how you feel about abortion, but I am against them."

Invasion of a person’s body autonomy, decision making abilities and disrespect for individual belief systems will have me searching for my invisible baseball bat. As I viewed the American Nursing Association Code of Ethics what this woman has allegedly done was a violation of the nursing ethics code, particularly section 2.2 where it talks about nurses dealing with conflicts of interests, both personal and professional.

If there was just one core ethical standard for the practice of medicine and providing heath care maybe our decisions would be easier. I regret to inform you that there isn’t one clear standard or code. There are dozen of them. For example, there is the World Medical Association’s International Code of Medical Ethics. This is a selection:

A PHYSICIAN SHALL always exercise his/her independent professional judgment and maintain the highest standards of professional conduct.

A PHYSICIAN SHALL respect a competent patient's right to accept or refuse treatment.

A PHYSICIAN SHALL not allow his/her judgment to be influenced by personal profit or unfair discrimination.

A PHYSICIAN SHALL be dedicated to providing competent medical service in full professional and moral independence, with compassion and respect for human dignity.

I like the Australian Medical Association Code of Ethics because they leave nothing to the imagination. Particularly these sections:

Ensure that doctors and other health professionals upon whom you call to assist in the care of your patients are appropriately qualified.

Make sure that you do not exploit your patient for any reason.

Avoid engaging in sexual activity with your patient.

Refrain from denying treatment to your patient because of a judgement based on discrimination.

Respect your patient's right to choose their doctor freely, to accept or reject advice and to make their own decisions about treatment or procedures.

A stated code of practices or medical ethics reminds medical professionals that trust is given because of education, skills and the nature of the work. It is more of a goal . You want those medical professional to know the Hippocratic oath or their respective ethics code but it isn’t binding. Laws concerning

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kandi 5 pts

   My case also happened many years ago,also where I live is a small/tiny town. I think people think in small town not much happens. You would be surprised. I just hope that other women who read this do ask for a third party to be in the room. We as woman need to protect ourselves. We need not to assume that just because they are doctors that they won't hurt us or abuse their authority and take advanage of us.

  I would like to thank you for bringing light to this subject. Maybe if more women would talk up it would come to light and this behavior will stop.

                                Thanks again, Kandi

Gena Haskett 6 pts

At the time that this happened it was not a regular practice to have a medical assistant or nurse in the room. My understanding was as women gained more voice and complained (and sued) it became a part of the practice to protect the doctor from false allegations.

Even today in many public health situations and hospitals there isn't a spare person to stay in the room with the doctor and patient. Low income or the non-insured go through major grief just to obtain treatment. These are the people that are most vulnerable to be victimized.

I had read about a massage therapist(don't know if licensed or not) attempt to insert her finger where it did not belong into another woman. Yikes.

It is not one gender. It is craven opportunity of the lowest kind.

Gena - Out On The Stoop ( http://outonthestoop.blogspot.com )

alissa23 5 pts

Any ethical doctor male or female would want a third person in the room to protect them in the case there was a concern, and of course it makes the patient feel more comfortable, especially if there is another woman in the room when it is a male doctor.

If there is just the doctor there, the patient has every right and should let the doctor know that they would feel more comfortable having a nurse or medical assistant present.

Although this is a different situation, I recently sat on a jury where a woman was molested by a male massage therapist. It's a sad fact, but women must learn to be proactive in protecthing themselves. Avoid situations where it is just you alone with a man in medical or similar situation.

By the way, I am sad to report that the massage therapist on trial did not receive more than a slap on the wrist because unfortunately two members of the jury (one of them a woman!) believed that the woman in this case was making up this story, even though she had absolutely nothing to gain by doing so.

If nothing else, perhaps your story can serve as a warning for others.

Gena Haskett 6 pts

I guess our best revenge at the moment is to tell the tale so that other can recognize if it happens to them or a love one. I debated that it was too much sharing but it did happen, it was real and part of what these bastards count on is silence.

We can be silent no more.

Gena - Out On The Stoop ( http://outonthestoop.blogspot.com )

kandi 5 pts

 Unfortunately having a medical degree does not mean your moralistic or have respect for women. This behavior is reprehensible. How can a doctor who has went through years and years of training risk everything to cop a feel? The only thing I can think of is that his lack of respect for women is greater than anything else. His over whelming desire to be in a sexually controlling situation over clouds his judgment. If you ask me these type of people are a danger to society. Examples of people like this are : rapists, child molesters, and doctors with NO MORALS, NO RESPECT, BASICALLY PERVERTED!

  Its sad when going to the doctor's office is not safe. I'm sorry to hear of your experience. This happened to me some 19 years ago during a pap-smear. Lets just say he got carried away and was going north and south repeatedly. (stroking) Which had nothing to do with a pap-smear. When I ask him, " what the hell are you doing?" , He said, " Just seeing if everything is working right." I was really young then and did not report it. I know just how you feel. I should have reported it, but, thought He is a doctor who would believe me? Maybe he know what he was doing?.  Since then I have had a number of pap-smears and no one has ever " checked to see if everything is working right." I bet things like this happen all the time. Its horrible with all the things women have to endure medically, that some preverted doctors would take advantage of us.  SHAME ON THEM!!!!! Maybe one day these doctors will have to get a prostate exam and their doctor will be a prevert too....Well, we can only hope!!!....lol

                 Thanks for your blog, Kandi in Tx