Is this ethical? What would you have done?

[Clonazepam]

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So I have chronic stomache pain; I've had this ailment for the past few months. Well last night I went to the ER to get my TB test results looked at (So I can start shadowing Physicians) . Well while I was in the waiting room my stomache came back, and it came back shard, hard, and fast. I was terrible pain. I immediately changed my 'Reason for ER visit' to extreme stomache pain.

Well I went in the exam room and I was in so much pain I couldn't bare it. I was hunched over in the fetal position for about an hour and I was crying. (Yes I know that sounds pathetic but I was actually crying I was in so much pain). When my Doctor finally came in he saw me crying and I begged him for something to help alleviate this pain I was suffering from. I told him I understand how Narcotics are addicting and I don't wish to get a script, just something for now to alleviate this terrible pain. He said sure that would be no problem and then he left the room. About an hour later the Nurse came in with 3 pills for me to take. These pills were Atarax. I asked polutely why is giving me an Anti-histamine/anxiolytic instead a shot of Morphine/Diluaded/ whatever for the pain. She said she had no idea. 2 hours went by and I was still stuffering from chronic stomache pain.

The doctor finally came back and he handed me a script for 30 Atarax and a laxative. I looked at him and I became very upset. I pleaded with him saying I just need something for my stomache pain cause I can't even walk. He looked at me suspiciously and said the laxative will do just fine.

WEll i've had chronic stomache pain for about 4 months now and he's just assuming its constipation? I told him I'm a pre-med major and I'm not stupid when it comes to deciphering between pain and constipation and what he did was incompetent and that he lied to me when he told me he would bring me something back for the pain. He looked at me and told me he was offended by my statement and he got up and started to leave. Before he left he said, "I'll be back to see you when I feel like it."

So I ask you. Was that ethical? Where was the care in that? I have no history of drug abuse, nothing bad on my record, no Suboxone treatment or anything and why wasn't he willing to help me.

I'm sorry but this really upsets me. I already called the Social worker and plan on calling the hospital administrator. I believe what he did was unethical and in sense, immoral. What are your thoughts?

 

[Tiger26]

So I have chronic stomache pain; I've had this ailment for the past few months. Well last night I went to the ER to get my TB test results looked at (So I can start shadowing Physicians) . Well while I was in the waiting room my stomache came back, and it came back shard, hard, and fast. I was terrible pain. I immediately changed my 'Reason for ER visit' to extreme stomache pain.

Well I went in the exam room and I was in so much pain I couldn't bare it. I was hunched over in the fetal position for about an hour and I was crying. (Yes I know that sounds pathetic but I was actually crying I was in so much pain). When my Doctor finally came in he saw me crying and I begged him for something to help alleviate this pain I was suffering from. I told him I understand how Narcotics are addicting and I don't wish to get a script, just something for now to alleviate this terrible pain. He said sure that would be no problem and then he left the room. About an hour later the Nurse came in with 3 pills for me to take. These pills were Atarax. I asked polutely why is giving me an Anti-histamine/anxiolytic instead a shot of Morphine/Diluaded/ whatever for the pain. She said she had no idea. 2 hours went by and I was still stuffering from chronic stomache pain.

The doctor finally came back and he handed me a script for 30 Atarax and a laxative. I looked at him and I became very upset. I pleaded with him saying I just need something for my stomache pain cause I can't even walk. He looked at me suspiciously and said the laxative will do just fine.

WEll i've had chronic stomache pain for about 4 months now and he's just assuming its constipation? I told him I'm a pre-med major and I'm not stupid when it comes to deciphering between pain and constipation and what he did was incompetent and that he lied to me when he told me he would bring me something back for the pain. He looked at me and told me he was offended by my statement and he got up and started to leave. Before he left he said, "I'll be back to see you when I feel like it."

So I ask you. Was that ethical? Where was the care in that? I have no history of drug abuse, nothing bad on my record, no Suboxone treatment or anything and why wasn't he willing to help me.

I'm sorry but this really upsets me. I already called the Social worker and plan on calling the hospital administrator. I believe what he did was unethical and in sense, immoral. What are your thoughts?

Awesomely awesome

 

[voitokas]

Instead of asking for drugs, I would have asked for some imaging to find out what was wrong with my stomach.

 

[voitokas]

Oh...you make the joke

 

[Clonazepam]

Instead of asking for drugs, I would have asked for some imaging to find out what was wrong with my stomach.

Well at the end of our conversation he said something on the lines "Well I could do this test and I could do this test blah blah." And I looked at him and I looked at the clock and I asked, "Why couldn't you have done that 3 hours ago?" This surprised him and he said he would do it now and I said no I don't have all night to wait for you and then I left..

 

[ahowardmd]

Honestly, telling him that you are a pre-med probably just pissed him off more. Now, not only are you just another self-diagnosing, whiny, pissy patient who is demanding drugs (they see these all day over the course of their 12 hour shifts), now you are effectively saying: "I have 1-4 years of basic science courses under my belt, which makes me as qualified as you to diagnose myself, and I'm only using you for your prescription pad".

It sucks to have pain, but maybe you should give a little bit of respect to the profession which you are trying to join. Even if you didn't agree with his diagnosis and treatment plan, you didn't need to disrespect him. Go get a second opinion!

 

[ahowardmd]

...and I said no I don't have all night to wait for you and then I left...

Just another sad case of America's culture of entitlement. Thanks for leaving and freeing up a bed for a more deserving/courteous patient!

 

[Clonazepam]

Just another sad case of America's culture of entitlement. Thanks for leaving and freeing up a bed for a more deserving/courteous patient!

You're neglecting to understand that it is my right to dismiss a medication put forth in front of me and also to 'legally' ask for something that will be better suited. All this talk about here that "be honest with your doctor" and yet I receive these comments from you that I shouldn't be honest and let him do all the work his ways. You know how many tims I had to correct doctors with my mom's pscyhosis? There's this fallacy that doctors are always right but Im sorry howardmd, you have to see through that misconception.

I understand he has more experience then me, but I don't believe that by neglecting every comment I made to him and displaying his ignorance as the high all mighty is an ethical way to approach things either. I'm sorry if your arrogance won't allow you to except this fact but you really need to do. This is how we modify ideologies based on the concept of social darwinism..

 

[Clonazepam]

Just another sad case of America's culture of entitlement. Thanks for leaving and freeing up a bed for a more deserving/courteous patient!

And where the hell is all this 'demanding' drugs coming from? You wan't to go to Med school? You need to learn to read. I asked patiently and politely and he said Yes he'll be right back with some. Really... Howard MD please read more carefully before you post before you make a fool out of yourself even more... 😳

 

[ahowardmd]

And where the hell is all this 'demanding' drugs coming from? You wan't to go to Med school? You need to learn to read. I asked patiently and politely and he said Yes he'll be right back with some. Really... Howard MD please read more carefully before you post before you make a fool out of yourself even more... 😳

Not really going to argue about it, but from your first post you made it seem like, at some point, you insulted your doctor and demanded the drugs that you thought were appropriate. I'm just a premed myself, but from what I've seen in the ER while shadowing and volunteering, "those patients" usually do start off being patient and polite, and after 1-8 hours in the ER they tend to get impolite and demanding. I'm not calling you a bad person, I'm just saying that maybe you should cut the doctor some slack and let him do his job. Besides, even if you are right and he is wrong, insulting him and storming out of the ER does you no good. Pain definitely gives you an excuse to be grouchy, but not to be insulting. I don't believe I'm the one making a fool out of myself 😱.

Besides all this nonsense, I sincerely hope you get to the root of your stomach pains and start feeling better; might I suggest a visit to the Primary Care doc? Keep up the volunteering too, it does wonders for a med school application.

 

[canjosh]

:troll:

 

[willow18]

Troll, and a poor speller to boot. Mods, please get it off the EM forum and off any forum for that matter.