Intended for healthcare professionals

Rapid response to:

Observations Ethics Man

Rethinking ward rounds

BMJ 2009; 338 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.b879 (Published 04 March 2009) Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:b879

Rapid Response:

RN's and Ethics

As an RN (20 years)in Perinatology/Labor & Delivery, I've seen
nurses are dealing with ethical dilemas quite often. Patients can
introduce the spouse vs. father of the baby vs. current boyfriend or
fiancee all within a single 12 hour shift with various visitors at the
bedside.

Patients can know about their own medical history including
previous pregnancies that ended with either abortions or giving the baby
up for adoption that they "don't want anyone else to know about". Most
women delivering 3rd of 4th baby may progress on a different timeline than
a woman delivering a 1rst baby.

Women who know about their own health status and are aware of
transmissable infections like Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and others will accept
antibiotics but "don't say what the medicine is for" and women with active
Herpes requiring a c-section will instruct the staff to "make up a reason
why I need to have a c-section to tell them".

Competing interests:
None declared

Competing interests: No competing interests

14 March 2009
Caron E. Lumpkin
L&D RN/HS Health & Biology Teacher
30127