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.
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
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.
I so agree with this. I don't want all of my family to know everything about me. Especially when I was younger I didn't have the best relationship with my father so I wouldn't want him knowing everything about my health history.
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.
"Quite happy" is not a word I would use to describe it. Due to the overwhelming male and female populations in health care, we've become accustomed to opposite gender providers being part of our care. This includes removing modesty from time to time. As a nurse, if you have sexualized this in your mind, I, personally, do not find that appropriate. If you are unable to remove gender/sex from your approach to clinical practice, it is not a failing of American culture that we are able. Ironically, your thread is about accepting cultural differences and yet, you judge ours (pervertedly, at that).
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.
With this, I'm done. I actually started responding to this thread taking it seriously. Good grief.
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.
No, no, no. Women are not "happy to let it all out". People who are sick bypass the modesty issue because they are used to providers of all genders displaying professionalism, even in awkward or discreet procedures. This is getting beyond weird.
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
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.
What the hell??? This is why people can't take you or any of your posts seriously. You are sexualizing it. There's nothing sexual about it! It's not oh, I can't tell by the way he caths me he'll be good in bed. He's a nurse. Period. End of story!
By 18 their daughters can make her own decisions if she wants a male or female nurse to cath her.
You knew it was just a matter of time though! But I was called a "Debbie Downer" for predicting this exact same thing in another thread starter by this person, LOL!!
With this, I'm done. I actually started responding to this thread taking it seriously. Good grief.
Are you really a nurse? Perhaps you're a manager, because most nurses I know are pretty crude, politically incorrect, and even disrespectful, at when we talk amongst ourselves. You don't fit the criteria.
I am a nurse, not a manager, you are incredibly inappropriate, and your posts reveal an unprofessional demeanor almost beyond belief.
You knew it was just a matter of time though! But I was called a "Debbie Downer" for predicting this exact same thing in another thread starter by this person, LOL!!
Sorry, Bucky,
*I* called you a Debbie Downer. I had hope. I shoulda known better. You called it, Deb!
OrganizedChaos, LVN
1 Article; 6,883 Posts
I so agree with this. I don't want all of my family to know everything about me. Especially when I was younger I didn't have the best relationship with my father so I wouldn't want him knowing everything about my health history.