#healthcare2

Module Overview

When we think of patient care, our first thought is that of a nurse or doctor. However there are many other professions involved in the care of a patient. For example, chiropractors use manipulation techniques to realign the body. Dentistry professionals provide oral care to patients. Paramedics are often the first responders at the scene of an emergency and must start lifesaving treatments immediately. Staff in the laboratory is responsible for taking specimens and running diagnostic tests. X-ray staff performs imaging tests to assist in the diagnosis of ailments and to determine the extent of injuries. Perhaps one profession that we all have contact with inside and outside a hospital are pharmacy staff. We depend on them to provide us with the proper medication at the right dosage so we can get better. Over time, the pharmacist has also been tasked with monitoring patient profiles and looking for incompatibiliteis between drug-drug and food-drug interactions.

Each of these professions is guided by federal and state regulations. These regulations are there to ensure that proper procedures are followed so that the patient does not suffer any harm. Some of the issues that can arise when proper procedures are not followed include drill bits left in the patient's mouth, wrong blood type given during a procedure, failure to admit to the hospital, not warning patients about the side-effects of a drug, and misinterpreting a physician's orders. All of these have the potential to impact a patient from mild inconvenience to death.

There are some steps that a person in these professions can do to avoid a negative outcome. These steps include 1) abide by one ethical code; 2) do not criticize the professional skills of others; 3) inform the patient of the risks, benefits, and alternatives to proposed treatment options; and 4) check patient equipment regularly and monitor it for safe use. There are many more and it is up to any professional involved in the treatment of a patient to ensure that they always have the safety of the patient in mind.

Required Readings

Chisholm, M., Russell, D., & Humphreys, J. (2011). Measuring rural allied health workforce turnover and retention: What are the patterns, determinants and costs? Australian Journal of Rural Health, 19 (2), 81-88.

Client care. (2007). SportEX Medicine, 31(12).

Hook v. McLaughlin. (1994). Retrieved from http://www.leagle.com/decision-result/?xmldoc/19941156642NE2d514_11140.xml/docbase/CSLWAR2-1986-2006

Pearce-Brown, C., Grealish, L., McRae, I., Douglas, K., Yen, L., Wells, R., & Wareham, S. (2011). A local study of costs for private allied health in Australian primary health care: Variability and policy implications. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 17(2), 131-134.

Wilson, R. (2012). Legal, ethical and professional concepts within the operating department. Journal of Perioperative Practice, 22(3): 81-85

Optional Readings

Buppert, C. (2008). Understanding Medical Assistant Practice Liability Issues. Dermatology Nursing, 20(4), 327-329.

Kenny, B., Lincoln, M., Blyth, K., & Balandin, S. (2009). Ethical perspective on quality of care: The nature of ethical dilemmas identified by new graduate and experienced speech pathologists. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 44(4), 421-439.

Sandman, L. & Nordmark, A. (2006). Ethical conflicts in prehospital emergency care. Nursing Ethics, 13(6), 592-607.