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
- 9 From professional to personal
- 10 Losing empathy
- 11 The limits of compassion
- 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
- Epilogue: Using this book
- Glossary
- Index
9 - From professional to personal
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
- 9 From professional to personal
- 10 Losing empathy
- 11 The limits of compassion
- 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
- Epilogue: Using this book
- Glossary
- Index
Summary
CASE
“Do you want to see me again?”
As a resident a very attractive woman came to see me with pityriasis rosea on her breasts. I examined her, made the diagnosis and told her that although it would take some time, her condition was benign and would heal spontaneously. I told her to come back in a couple of weeks and we'd see if her skin had cleared up. She came back and indeed I was able to tell her “That's fine, it's completely gone.” Later, to my astonishment she made another appointment to come and see me. When I entered the room she had already removed her clothing and wanted me to check her. There was no indication she needed medical attention, and I began to suspect that something less professional was going on. She said, “Well, do you want to see me again?”
CASE
“I don't think I took advantage of her”
One night when I was a resident a female patient asked me to undress her. I did and, at her urging, got into bed with her and had sex. After that I went to her room for sex several times while she was in the hospital. We saw each other for some time after her discharge. I've never told anyone about this. She initiated the sex and it was entirely consensual, I don't think I took advantage of her.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Ward EthicsDilemmas for Medical Students and Doctors in Training, pp. 98 - 103Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2001