Ethical principles in Hospital settings - perceptions of intern doctors of tertiary care Hospital

Ethics in hospital setting is very much essential for intern doctors to learn and acquire certain principles of ethics to practice in community in future. Present study was aimed to investigate the perceptions of intern doctors towards ethical principles in hospital setting.

All intern doctors of GMERS Medical College, Gujarat were subjected to pre-tested and pre-validated Likert’s scale type questionnaire (1 to 5, 1 - Strongly Disagree, 5 - Strongly agree) regarding ethical principles in hospital setting. Study was done after obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Ethical Committee. Data obtained were analyzed via median score and tabulated.

Most of the intern doctors were satisfied with ethical principles related to hospital settings like colleagues help in difficult issues of patient care, working with competent fellows, safe patient care in hospital, interns have access to case sheets, use of case sheets for learning, respecting wishes of patients, helping hand of unit doctor, trust and respect toward unit doctor, scope to learn via ward rounds, OPD, indoor, etc. In fewer ethical aspects intern doctors were not sure like other colleagues consider their concerns towards patients, unit doctors help them to decide for patients, hospital policies for treatment, vision and mission of hospital, conflict management policy of hospital, simulated learning, etc. On following points intern doctors were not agreed like patients’ expectations from doctor are clear, regular discussion of patient care with doctor, scope to do research, etc.

Intern doctors must be trained in ethical aspects related to hospital setting via generating various modules for teaching like AETCOM (Attitude, Ethics and Communication) module.