professionalism
Table of Contents
medical professionalism
see also:
core ethical principles for doctors
respect
- respecting a patient's own autonomy, the right of individuals to make decisions on their own behalf
beneficence
- the duty to do the best for the individual patient
non-maleficence
- the duty to do no unnecessary harm
justice
- the duty to treat your patients who have similar conditions equitably taking into account responsibilities to the community
fundamental qualities of doctors for good medical practice
integrity
- being honest and trustworthy
- never misusing the doctor-patient relationship for improper purposes (financial, sexual or social)
truthfulness
- deal honestly with your patients - patients do not expect that you will lie to them
fidelity
- placing your patient's interests ahead of your personal interests and not abandoning patients under your care
compassion
- sympathetic understanding of others' suffering and distress and a desire to alleviate it
confidentiality
- not disclosing information about a patient without their consent
patient-centredness
- perceiving a patients needs and health care from their perspective
good communication
- an important skill
clinical judgement
- brings together clinical knowledge, skills, communication skills and ethical appreciation
Other references
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- “Most doctors who demonstrate poor professionalism will have behaved appropriately as medical students, and most medical students with behaviour problems will not become professional miscreants.”
- “professionalism — like any other area — must be modelled, taught and assessed for all students, and that no student or doctor is immune to lapses in behaviour”
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- “Patients want doctors who are competent, respectful, honest and able to communicate with them. That is patient-centred professionalism.”
- a look at what is happening in the UK.
professionalism.txt · Last modified: 2013/11/15 00:52 by 127.0.0.1