CMAJ • January 18, 2005; 172 (2). doi:10.1503/cmaj.1041704.
© 2005 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors
All editorial matter in CMAJ represents the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Canadian Medical Association.
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Letters
Correspondance

Right reaction, wrong response

Barbara A. Bulleid

Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital, Fredericton, NB

I was disturbed by Lucie Opatrny's description1 of viewing a second-trimester termination when she was a 15-year-old high school student. This encounter was unethical from the patient's perspective; furthermore, it was inappropriate for a high school student to witness such a procedure — no wonder she fainted!

Opatrny also describes her recent reaction as a practising physician to viewing what was clearly an incident of child abuse. She "reproached" the mother, then vomited. Why did she not call child protection services, as she is required to do by law? Did her visceral reaction not indicate how abhorrent the behaviour she had witnessed was? In both situations, her "uncontrollable visceral responses" were appropriate, not idiosyncratic. Opatrny should learn to listen to her body.

Reference

  1. Opatrny L. Achilles' heel. CMAJ 2004;171 (8): 910.[Free Full Text]




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