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.
OP this is a good post. Very different on how they do things in Zimbabwe, but that would not go well here. I couldn't imagine my family sitting around my bed listening to all of my health problems just shaking their head and probably judging me. *shudders*
Some of you guys couldn't wait for the OP to say something for you guys to jump on. You guys had Orville redenbacher within minutes of him posting. Geez. Leave the past in the past. The post was a good one. And it's always the same posters jumping on folks. Some things he says are...off, but this post could have been a good discussion until people starting bringing up his old catheter post. If he doesn't 'get it' stop beating a dead horse.
Many of us gave him credit for a good post, but if you read the thread from the start, it was OP that started fanning the flames. His first replies were defensive and lecturing and he was the one that first brought up his previous posts. Yes, we get out the popcorn when we see him pop up, and no, we don't cut him much slack. I expect OP is over there with his popcorn too, he obviously he likes the entertainment.
Many of us gave him credit for a good post, but if you read the thread from the start, it was OP that started fanning the flames. His first replies were defensive and lecturing and he was the one that first brought up his previous posts. Yes, we get out the popcorn when we see him pop up, and no, we don't cut him much slack. I expect OP is over there with his popcorn too, he obviously he likes the entertainment.
You said this already, and very well the first time. If pooky read the thread she would have seen that. Maybe you are a nicer person than me, Acute, but I see no need for any of us to defend or explain how we react to OP.
Also, pooky, the Mods are the ones who put parameters on what we write here, not you.
Yet another opportunity for you to slip in your "I worked with raunchy nurses" schtick. It's getting old, op
I don't feed off anything, although I do get a bit annoyed at the responses, but then I get over it. As for offending people and stereotypes, well, when I trained, nurses had a pretty raunchy reputation, sometimes deserved, sometimes not, although the young nurses seemed to feed off the behaviour of the senior nurses, and whenever a police or fireman came to hospital in uniform, they certainly played up to the stereotype of loving man in uniform.
Of course I know nurses are about as varied a bunch as you can get, I'm not stupid. What I do find interesting is how easily offended people get, and obviously any attempts at sarcasm or humour go completely missed, so I won't bother with that.
Many of us gave him credit for a good post, but if you read the thread from the start, it was OP that started fanning the flames. His first replies were defensive and lecturing and he was the one that first brought up his previous posts. Yes, we get out the popcorn when we see him pop up, and no, we don't cut him much slack. I expect OP is over there with his popcorn too, he obviously he likes the entertainment.
I read this thread from the beginning. Yes. Some credit was given, but one poster stated that he had burnt his bridges and from that, they couldn't take his posts seriously. And then came the 'jokes' like 'cath me!' Etc. then a poster said something about how on his cath post what bothered her, was that he sexualized it (this is what brought the whole thread down) He didn't bring it up at all. But that's what you guys wanted all along. To have fun and your laughs. But I'll continue to watch you guys have your fun On this post and many others where you just beat the horse over and over. Lol (not specifically YOU, but the participants in this thread)
I read this thread from the beginning. Yes. Some credit was given, but one poster stated that he had burnt his bridges and from that, they couldn't take his posts seriously. And then came the 'jokes' like 'cath me!' Etc. then a poster said something about how on his cath post what bothered her, was that he sexualized it (this is what brought the whole thread down) He didn't bring it up at all. But that's what you guys wanted all along. To have fun and your laughs. But I'll continue to watch you guys have your fun On this post and many others where you just beat the horse over and over. Lol (not specifically YOU, but the participants in this thread)
You may have read this thread, but you obviously haven't read his others.
He's a one trick pony, has no credibility, and is getting tiresome.
But, hey, you keep watching a bunch of seasoned nurses and savvy students take the opportunity to be human and point and laugh at the silliness. He gives as good as he gets.
Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN
1 Article; 2,816 Posts
I like you, nursingaround1. You seem like a good guy.