Standbys in Today's Medicine - ALWAYS

[KMATTOX at aol.com]

In my view, in today's litigious world, and with all "harassments" being  
defined as being in the eyes of the beholder or recipient, the "SAFEST" route is  
for ALL examiners and interviewers to ALWAYS have some sort of chaperone or  
mechanism to hear and document the conversation and examinations between a  
patient and a physician, or someone acting under the supervision of a  
physician.    Even if the patient being interviewed or examined  brought their own 
witness, entrapment cases are not uncommon and the prudent  professional would 
have someone accompany her or him with a patient, regardless  of the gender of 
the examiner or the examinee.     
 
NOW, I am fully aware that both number of personnel AND COST constraints  
prohibit the ideal and safest route.    This then raises  questions of 
practicality.    One could also raise the same  question about translators and mis 
understandings by patients who do not  understand the language or culture of the 
doctor, clinic, or hospital that they  find themselves in.      
 
k
 
 
In a message dated 1/12/2008 7:44:04 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
cvmmorris at gmail.com writes:

Recently, I began practicing at my original rural FP position in NC and  I
have had several instances of needing to examine "private parts". In  that
regard, I requested a standby, as that is what I have done for  the
past several years. I would really like opinions: yay or nay? Does it  matter
F-M, MM FF, or M-F?

The NP with whom I work feels comfortable  not conscripting a nurse or MA to
be in the room, although I was told to  absolutely not do an unmonitored exam
at the ERs where I have worked. By  way of history, I trained in the late
'70s with a lady Ob/Gyn and she told  me to get used to doing my own exams,
because as a  female PA, I would  be doing the pelvics without assistance.

Opinions welcome and  requested! It is the 21st century and we have other
concerns to  ponder.

C M Morris
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