Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- List of contributors
- Prologue. Breaking the silence
- Letter from a young doctor
- Part I On caring for patients
- Section 2 Problems in truth-telling
- Section 3 Setting boundaries
- Part II On becoming a “team player”: searching for esprit de corps and conflicts of socialization
- Section 5 Argot, jargon, and questionable humor: assuming the mantle at the patient's expense
- Section 6 Making waves: questioning authority and the status quo
- Section 7 Perceiving misconduct and whistle-blowing: observing peers or superiors commit an act deemed unethical
- 21 Abusing alcohol or drugs
- 22 Mistreating patients: nasty, rude, or hostile behavior toward patients
- 23 Covering up
- 24 Misrepresenting research
- Epilogue: Using this book
- Glossary
- Index
21 - Abusing alcohol or drugs
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 February 2015
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- List of contributors
- Prologue. Breaking the silence
- Letter from a young doctor
- Part I On caring for patients
- Section 2 Problems in truth-telling
- Section 3 Setting boundaries
- Part II On becoming a “team player”: searching for esprit de corps and conflicts of socialization
- Section 5 Argot, jargon, and questionable humor: assuming the mantle at the patient's expense
- Section 6 Making waves: questioning authority and the status quo
- Section 7 Perceiving misconduct and whistle-blowing: observing peers or superiors commit an act deemed unethical
- 21 Abusing alcohol or drugs
- 22 Mistreating patients: nasty, rude, or hostile behavior toward patients
- 23 Covering up
- 24 Misrepresenting research
- Epilogue: Using this book
- Glossary
- Index
Summary
CASE
“Whistle-blowers take a lot of heat – particularly when you are a nobody”
As a resident, I worked for a while with a pediatric intensivist who was an incredibly bright doctor. He was Board certified in both pediatric intensive care and anesthesia. His anesthesia privileges gave him wide access to drugs, and it was known that this doctor had a cocaine habit. One day he came to work wired out of his mind. We were doing rounds and all I could think of was how to protect the patients? He was far beyond being able to carry out his responsibilities and in his drug-induced state was exposing patients to terrible risk. At the same time, I thought whistle-blowers take a lot of heat, particularly when you are a nobody.
Later, I learned the chief resident reported this doctor to the chief of the department. He went into rehabilitation and now he practices at another hospital in another state.
CASE
“Missing drugs”
As a resident in anesthesiology, I was assigned for the first few months to an attending who would be my direct supervisor. I learned a lot from her and I still use a method of case write-up that she taught me. Sometimes, however, I thought she behaved oddly; for example, I would find her sitting with her legs crossed in an awkward position and she would jump up quickly when she saw me.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Ward EthicsDilemmas for Medical Students and Doctors in Training, pp. 216 - 222Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2001