The Peaceful Parenting blog featured my post on circumcision as Circumcision: A Male RN's Perspective. With a comic I should've used here.
She has another guest post related to nursing and circumcision, The Day I Withdrew From Nursing School. I was never put in a bind like that in school (and a circumcision is pretty bad to watch), but there were a few things about the mother/baby rotation in school that didn't sit well with me, and one was definitely the way moms handled the circumcision decision (since you have to sign consent), and they all just shrugged and said yes or sometimes, if they were African-American, no. If they asked the MD or RN for their professional opinion, the answer was usually "Well...it's not really necessary, but you can do whatever you feel is best." (Funny, this is sorta like the half-hearted position on circumcision which the American Academy of Pediatrics takes.) And the parent would say whatever they felt like saying. I felt like I couldn't say much of anything, as a student who was being constantly watched. The only good thing about such lackluster half-hearted decisions is that it would hopefully be that much easier to get society to abandon the practice if nobody really cares one way or the other.
I did, however, almost pass out and feel like giving up when they gave a woman an epidural without what any prudent practitioner would call informed consent. But I generally chose to put the blinders on when it came to things I didn't agree with or feel comfortable with—especially in ob/gyn and peds because those are chiefly observational rotations. I wanted my professional license and I knew how I would practice.
Some of these dilemmas may even occur for those studying for a medical coding certification.
I like very much this blog.Good appreciation to everyone for the future planning in his life for the good health. Good luck for the future.
ReplyDeleteOh, I feel you with the lack of consent. I am worried about when I am in residency. I know enough to keep my mouth shut on rotations unless something way outside the standard of care is going on (unfortunately, the typical standard of care can be way outside what I consider to be ethical). But, I don't think I can do 4 years in a place where informed consent is thrown out the window in favor of interventions.
ReplyDeleteOne selfish reason I am a fan of conscience clauses is that I fully intended to exercise one if I am asked to observe, learn or perform any elective circumcision.
Can you please elaborate as to what the conscience clause is?
ReplyDelete