Painting Groups with the Same Brush as Outliers: Is That Ethical?
I, unfortunately, though some may consider it fortunate, have created a series of topic threads which has stimulated some of my visitors to make negative and derogatory comments seemingly referring to members of an entire class rather than those outliers who might well deserve these comments. Example threads where you can read the comments to which I refer deal with infant male circumcision, hysterectomies, patient modesty and also a probably unfortunate title in this context, “I Hate Doctors”.
As having been a patient myself, I can understand and even empathize with those who have experienced instances in medical practice which could be the basis of and promote negative comments. However, my point is that these comments should refer to specific individuals of a class and not necessarily to the entire class itself.
On the other hand, extending this issue to the “bad apple” analogy, should one or two “bad apples” in the basket cause all the apples to turn "bad" and that there is a responsibility of every class of healthcare providers in medical practice to be responsible for their “bad apples”? If they are not carrying out this responsibility to get rid of them then shame on the entire group and thus the painting of the group with the same brush.
I would be most interested in my visitors’ opinion. ..Maurice.
Graphic: Photographs composed and modified digitally by me using ArtRage.
posted by Maurice Bernstein, M.D. @ 10:21:00 AM
7 comments
7 Comments:
In the numerous times I've been a
patient not once have I been treated professionally by female
providers. I won't go into details
as that only provides food for
those that enjoy reading about those specific issues,however,the
burden lies on the healthcare industry to correct these problems.
As of yet I see no impetus or
specifically,desire to make change
in a positive direction. The double-standards that exist against
men are tremendous. To me its gross
discrimination,unethical and
absolutely pathetic. No I don't
consider nursing as professionals,I
have more respect for housekeepers!
Professional people don't and should not discriminate. In fact,
until postive changes are made all
of healthcare has a long way to go.
That includes everyone from plebotomists to the ceo's of medical facilities. I want to use
my favorite analogy to convey my
point. Consider how a black person
may have felt in the 60's. Having
to sit at the back of the bus or
to give up his seat for a white
person.
Ask that black person if they
paint the entire white race with
one brush. Why shouldn't they. They
have paid a price and earned that
right in my opinion irregardless
of how negative it sounds. Thats
the position men are now in with
regards to being a patient in todays and yesterdays healthcare
system.
As a jewish person in nazi germany during the 40's how they
felt to have their business taken
away and civil rights violated or
the discrimination againt them.
Ask them if they painted nazi
germany with a brush.
Whether it be against a race,
culture or GENDER its discrimination. When are people going to see and realize this? Some
spoke of writing to facilities about same gender care for men. If
you don't get a response that is
their way of saying its not our
problem or we don't see it as a problem.
Look at it like this,are they
declining to respond in that it
says that there is a problem. Why
do many women prefer female providers,is it that they feel the
male providers are perverts. That
statement transposes the same meaning when men request same gender care. Is that what female
providers don't want to hear? Is
it the suggestion that it implies?
You don't have to search very hard on the web to find numerous examples of female providers from cna's,nurses to physicians commiting perverted acts against
male patients or their arrest record. As previous experience in
healthcare I've seen it with my
own eyes. People have a hard time
realizing that these things happen.
look at the teaching profession and you'll see what I mean. Would
you trust your child exclusively
with any teacher. Isn't that painting an entire group with a
brush! Common sense tells me that
you shouldn't. Common sense tells
me that you should trust no one!
That painting our entire society
with a brush and is that such a bad
thing considering all the bad that
happens in the world!
PT
But PT, how about all those who don't discriminate, do you feel it is ethical and simply fair to dump them into the same waste bin and throw them away like the others? Don't those who stay on the straight and narrow and maintain humanistic thought and actions deserve something better? ..Maurice.
Whether it is ethical or not is
simply irrevelant, thus is the nature of human behavior. How does
anyone know who is narrow or not?
If I visit an er tomorrow most
likely I wouldn't know any of those
people from adam! How do I know
they are trust worthy or not,I don't. Considering my past experiences my instincts will paint
everyone with the same brush. Is
it my fault for that mode of thinking,certainly not. Do I just
simply roll the dice, or do I in
some way eliminate some percentages
of probability? Should I have to
keep my guard up all the time?
You and I both know that the chances of being assigned to the care of a nurse who is either impaired or simply dangerous are good. See the running thread on allnurses regarding dangerous nurses. At this point we are beyond issues of repect for privacy,as I'm concerned if the person is capable of giving me the right medication. If thats the case
do you think privacy issues would ever cross their mind.
PT
PT, as I understand what you are writing, it seems you find that so many female nurses and female techs are "bad apples" that you are willing to paint the "good apples" with the same brush because there is no way to anticipate which kind of apple you will receive. Would you accept this kind of assessment if you as a healthcare provider was being evaluated by a female patient?
You would have known in your heart that you are not a pervert and that you are skilled but some patient throws you out because they feel the statistics are against them.
By the way, let's keep this thread limited to the ethics of the general issue set by the title; the specific concerns regarding patient modesty and the response by the medical system should be continued to be discussed on the patient modesty thread. ..Maurice.
Dr B
That is exactly what I've
written and yes i have walked in
those shoes as a healthcare provider. Patients have a right
to choose what makes them cormfortable,something everyone
should respect and appreciate.
Would you continue to trust every male teacher explicitly with your daughter if there had been
numerous instances of impropriety?
Would you continue the patronage of a resturant if they
discriminated against you every
time you visited that establishment? We don't enjoy the
right or priviledge of questioning
the concerns or reservations of
others.
PT
PT, you have to base your suspicion regarding a class or group on some statistic providing the probability (to what extent) a "bad apple" or "apples" exist within that class. Assumptions made on the logic, "if there is one, there must be all" is unfair.
There are many uncertainties in all of our lives and we have to live with them even if we don't have statistics helping us with our decision. To broadcast a conclusion about the behavior of an entire group without the statistics is, I think, unfair. ..Maurice.
Respectfully, these are not suspicions but rather real world
experiences. I've only an obligation to myself and as such
I'm not on a probability mission.
The healthcare institution needs
to evolve to meet my needs as a patient,it is after all a service
oriented business. There is no amount of reasoning that can ever change my mindset.
PT
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