The Downside

I was checking out a few of my fave blogs, and came across this post by an American ED doc.

Scary stuff, looking into the future. The thought that you could do your best for someone, using every professional resource available, and they, upset with what is probably an unchangeable outcome, decide to mount a lawsuit is one thing. The idea that as a doctor I could come to see each patient as "the enemy" is the most discouraging thing I have ever heard.

From another medical student we get this sort of attitude toward the patients he sees. And this.

The dinosaur points to a blog which has a great comment on the relationship between docs and patients.

For me, I guess I can see both sides. I once had a case where I was involved with the trauma team activation for two patients brought in one after the other. The first was a man shot by police. The second was the man he stabbed.

I did chest compressions on the stabbed man while the team looked desperately for reversible causes and signs of life, but unfortunately, it was too late.

I had to be involved with the care of the man who was shot for the next ten days while he recuperated from his injuries. It was a relief for me when he was well enough to be discharged (to his court appearances and police custody).