WEEK3: Professional Boundaries Flashcards
1
Q
What are professional boundaries as a healthcare professional?
A
- effective and appropriate interaction between professionals and the public they serve.
- Boundaries exist to protect both the professional and the client.
- Boundary violations harm the patient and the professional.
- The ramifications are widespread.
- Damage usually extends to marriages, families, other patients, communities, clinics, institutions, and the profession in general.
2
Q
What is duty of care?
A
- all patients entitled to good standard of practice and care from doctors
NEED: - professional competence
- good relationships with patients and colleagues
- observance of professional ethical obligations
3
Q
What should doctors NOT do?
A
- treat themselves, or family or friends
4
Q
What are the statistics of how doctors self medicate?
A
- only 50% doctors have a GP
- 90% doctors happy to manage their own acute conditions
- 25% are happy to manage chronic conditions
- 25% self medicate
- 50% order diagnostic investigations on themselves
- 70% are embarrassed to attend another doctor
- 87% were reluctant to consult for psychiatric problems
5
Q
Why shouldn’t doctors treat themselves, colleagues, family members etc?
A
- inappropriate consulting style – e.g. corridor consulting.
- Doctors present with higher rates of depression, suicide and substance abuse = leading to poor patient care
- The family relationship and context= deter information disclosure or people act inappropriate
- Family should be registered with different GP to allow for objectivity and reduced conflict of interests.
- 70% are embarrassed to attend another doctor
- 87% were reluctant to consult for psychiatric problems
6
Q
What is whistle blowing?
A
- You must protect patients from risk of harm posed by another colleague’s conduct, performance or health. o
7
Q
What do you do if another doctor is underperforming?
A
- speak to them to see if they are unwell and should consult a doctor
- get management involved bc this is hard to do alone
- Be supportive
- be mindful of how health issues of this person are impacting performance
- an illness related underperformance- can manage with sickleave until recovery
8
Q
What does the GMC do about someone underperforming?
A
- GMC ‘act quickly to protect patients from risk if you have good reason to believe that you or a colleague may not be fit to practice‘
- first notify bodies at work
- then notify GMC or professional bodies
9
Q
When should the GMC act?
A
- Dr has made serious mistakes in diagnosis or treatment
- not examined patients properly
- misused information about patients
- treated patients without properly obtaining their consent
- behaved dishonestly in financial matters, or in dealing with patients, or research
- made sexual advances towards patients
- misused alcohol or drugs.
10
Q
Should you accept gifts from patients?
A
- Dealing with amorous patients ineffectively can damage the doctor patient relationship
- can lead to unprofessional practice
- Get support from colleagues, suggest patient consults a different doctor, involve the defence organisation and the police if necessary.
11
Q
Can doctors have sex with their patients?
A
- no emotional relationship with patient
- Sexual relationships are considered an abuse of power and serious malpractice
12
Q
How should personal health be addressed by doctors?
A
- must be registered with a GP outside of your family
- have appropriate vaccinations
- must consult a qualified colleague if you suspect you have a serious illness.
13
Q
What is the practioner health programme?
A
- For doctors and dentists in London with mental, physical health, or addiction problems which may be affecting their work.
- Confidential.
- GMC not involved if there is considered to be no risk to patients
14
Q
What is probity?
A
- strong moral principles, honesty etc.
- must act with beneficence
- must not allow any of your personal interests alter a course of treatment (e.g. if you are receiving gifts from a drug company it does not mean that you will advertise that drug)
= but if you do then you must make the patient aware of this involvement x
15
Q
How should a patient break bad news?
A
- answer patient’s agenda
- empathy
- no jargon
- dont exclude patient
