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.
Actually, OP, most of us said that any professional nurse who was competent can cath anyone. male or female, as long as the patient felt comfortable. You sexualized it.
I personally said that I would never let you cath my kid. That has nothing to do with your nursing and more to do with your creep factor in that particular thread.
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Actually, OP, most of us said that any professional nurse who was competent can cath anyone. male or female, as long as the patient felt comfortable. You sexualized it.
I personally said that I would never let you cath my kid. That has nothing to do with your nursing and more to do with your creep factor in that particular thread.
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I've always thought the secrecy here in the states about medical status and issues is kind of odd. I think we're stuck in this bubble thinking that we should all have privacy... but if no one had privacy about medical issues then we would all have to deal with lifes ills as a villiage. I think the fear is that people would discriminate against people of certain medical status? I feel like everyone's glasshouse would be in display... in a perfect world no one would throw stones
That's because there has been discrimination regarding certain medical issues, like HIV, cancer, mental health diagnoses, etc. People have lost jobs, lost insurance coverage, etc. the idea of "the village" taking care of its residents is a nice to hit-freely concept, but it just doesn't happen, at least not here in the U.S.
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
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.
We're not happy about it (and once again, you've sexualized a mundane procedure), but we have come to accept providers of both genders. It's not like we're spreading them whenever we see a male nurse/physician.
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
If you saw the responses I got, you would see why I could be led to believe that. I even had people saying they would be happy for a male to catheterise their 18yr old daughter. Where I come from, people simply do agree, and that sort of thing simply does not happen. Yet i get attacked for it, and people calling me strange, yet from my experience, it's the other way round. But some people some cannot appreciate that other groups of people may not think like them.
It's disturbing that you continue to sexualized medical procedures.
What's sad, is all my stories really happened, and some are definitely unusual, but overall I didn't think much of it would be such shock, or people consider things weird. If you think about it, all the controversy began over a catheter.
I know a fair share about Zimbabwe's culture. Men and women will forgo barrier methods of sexual protection intentionally because to use them is considered admitting you are "dirty". It is another reason why HIV/AIDS is such a rampant epidemic there.
This is slowly getting better as time goes on, but my point is - for a country that views STDs and prophylaxis this way, I'm not sure this makes any sense, OP.
Also... Who got all the names and numbers to get the family and friends present?
I've always thought the secrecy here in the states about medical status and issues is kind of odd. I think we're stuck in this bubble thinking that we should all have privacy... but if no one had privacy about medical issues then we would all have to deal with lifes ills as a villiage. I think the fear is that people would discriminate against people of certain medical status? I feel like everyone's glasshouse would be in display... in a perfect world no one would throw stones
I disagree. I feel that my health status should be something I choose to share when I want to share it, with the people that I choose. Some health things are embarrassing, some are tragic, some are just not something a person wants to talk about. I also agree some things may be discriminated against. The law may protect people against that, but how do you prove it happened? Often, you can't.
Farawyn
12,646 Posts
Actually, OP, most of us said that any professional nurse who was competent can cath anyone. male or female, as long as the patient felt comfortable. You sexualized it.
I personally said that I would never let you cath my kid. That has nothing to do with your nursing and more to do with your creep factor in that particular thread.