Current Status of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices towards Healthcare Ethics among Doctors and Nurses from Northern India - A Multicentre Study

• Main Authors: Mukul Chopra, Anu Bhardwaj, Prassana Mithra, Abhishek Singh, Adiba Siddiqui, Rajesh DR
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences University 2013-07-01
• Series: Journal of Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences University
• Subjects: Healthcare Ethics; Physician; Nursing staff; KAP study
• Online Access: http://www.jkimsu.com/jkimsu-vol2no2/jkimsu%20vol%202%20no%202%20july%20-%20dec%202013%20102-107.pdf

Background: Recent raise in litigation againsthealthcare practitioners is definitely an issueof immediate concern and may reflect an in-crease in unethical practices by them. Profes-sional relations between physicians and nursesmay have differences with respect to their atti-tudes towards patient-care. Aim and Objec-tives: To assess the knowledge of, and attitudesto healthcare ethics among north Indian physi-cians and nurses. Material and Methods: Thepresent cross sectional study was carried outamong 298 physicians and 107 nurses of threemedical colleges of northern India in the monthof July-August 2011 using pretested self ad-ministered questionnaire. Data analysis wasdone using SPSS version 20. Result and Con-clusion: There was a statistically significantdifference between the opinion of physiciansand nurses with respect to adherence to confi-dentiality, paternalistic attitude of doctors (doc-tors should do their best for the patient irre-spective of the patients opinion), informingclose relatives of a patients for consent proce-dures. The study highlighted gaps in the knowl-edge about practical aspects of health care eth-ics among physicians and nurses which theyencounter in day to day practice at workplace.Measures of workplace education like sensiti-zation workshops, CMEs, conferences onhealth care ethics would assist in bridging thisgap to a certain extent.