I know confidentiality is considered one of the most important things in medicine, but I learned from a friend working in another country how we in the west treat confidentiality, isn't necessarily right for everyone.
My friend is from Zimbabwe, but works with me here in Europe, and she told me what is was like when HIV really got hold of her home country. She describes how all the parents died, and the grandparents were left raising the grandchildren - she banded some of these grandmothers together and now has a charity helping children.
Anyway, she was saying that even when the WHO and other powers made effective medication free for many people in third world countries like hers, people kept on dying, when they shouldn't, especially young men.
She said a lot of the doctors treated patients like they would in the west, and when they first told a young man he was HIV positive, they would tell him in utmost confidence, and outline his treatment plan, and how to take his meds and when to have follow-up appointments and when to get extra help.
The men would leave, not take their meds, and eventually die.
My colleague and friend said confidentiality is different where she is, and you would never tell a young man or woman such a diagnosis, and would automatically involved the whole family. You wouldn't even ask if the family should be there, you would automatically tell them all to be there. Then the patient with HIV became not just a family issue, but a community/village one, and the outcomes suddenly reversed and people stopped dying. It also made a huge difference in stopping parents passing on the virus to their children.
I know in the west, to do something like this goes against everything we're taught. And I'm not saying one is more right than the other, as that is not the issue, but it was really interesting to hear such a significant cultural difference.
Anyway, I'm sure I'll be picked to pieces for this. But I genuinely think it quite fascinating and hope someone out there does to.
really? If you think about it, all I did was say I don't put catheters in women, and explained why. One of the reasons being that, where I have worked, I need a female chaperone anyway.
Yet it seems in American, women of all ages are quite happy to let it all out in front of everyone. Quite different from what I'm used to. A learning experience for all really.
In his own roundabout way, is he calling American women hoes??
In his own roundabout way, is he calling American women hoes??
I wouldn't know about that, but the nurses where I'm from are a pretty raunchy lot. Every 2nd friday night was party at the residence at the back of the hospital, and things usually got out of hand. Although one of our attempts at a calm, responsible party, by having a hungi on a saturday afternoon, resulted in partially burning the garage down of the apartment that the hospital owned. We should have known better than to have the earth oven inside a wooden garage with an earth floor. We figured it would protect it from the wind, which it did for a while, until we had to turn the fire hose on it.
Once the flames died down, the drinking began in earnest, and things only went downhill from there.
I guess American nurses are a bit different to kiwi ones. They sound quite serious.
Why don't you tell us a fascinating story about these nurses? Oh wait, it looks like you just did.
I wouldn't know about that, but the nurses where I'm from are a pretty raunchy lot. Every 2nd friday night was party at the residence at the back of the hospital, and things usually got out of hand. Although one of our attempts at a calm, responsible party, by having a hungi on a saturday afternoon, resulted in partially burning the garage down of the apartment that the hospital owned. We should have known better than to have the earth oven inside a wooden garage with an earth floor. We figured it would protect it from the wind, which it did for a while, until we had to turn the fire hose on it.
Once the flames died down, the drinking began in earnest, and things only went downhill from there.
I guess American nurses are a bit different to kiwi ones. They sound quite serious.
This is not going to be a popular comment but here it goes. I am not defending the OP, nor am I going to insult him like several of you are doing here.
I wonder where everyone here has placed their oh so valued " cultural sensivity"? You are insulting him for his beliefs and the way something is approached in his part of the world,bye you scream here that we must accept the beliefs of anyone here without question or insult. Offer the same courtesy to Nursingaround1. He us from a different culture and they do approach the same job differently. Be respectful of his beliefs and how they do their job.
This is not going to be a popular comment but here it goes. I am not defending the OP, nor am I going to insult him like several of you are doing here.
I wonder where everyone here has placed their oh so valued " cultural sensivity"? You are insulting him for his beliefs and the way something is approached in his part of the world,bye you scream here that we must accept the beliefs of anyone here without question or insult. Offer the same courtesy to Nursingaround1. He us from a different culture and they do approach the same job differently. Be respectful of his beliefs and how they do their job.
flame on
Scan the other threads he started and get back to us.
Farawyn
12,646 Posts
Those COBs won't take his stuff. I have no worries.