If you worked in the medical field, would you be a patient

**frugalandsimple** · 05-26-2008, 02:57 PM

to someone that worked in one like a doctor or ob/gyn? For example, if your father was a doctor, would you want to be one of his patients? I wouldn't because I wouldn't be comfortable with it.

**Frugal Nurse** · 05-26-2008, 03:03 PM

Can't do that in real life anyway.

You're not allowed to be the primary care person for your loved one.

Even I had to pass off neighbors and friends.

The good news... you KNOW you're getting the best treatment because you WILL be referred to the very best!. lol!

Now, of course the family member can oversee the care, with written permission from the patient. But can not be the decision maker and can not examine the person (on a professional basis) - although I have done it in a non-professional, professional capacity. Does that make sense?

"Could you look at my rash?" kind of thing.

**frugalandsimple** · 05-26-2008, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by Frugal Nurse

Can't do that in real life anyway.

You're not allowed to be the primary care person for your loved one.

I didn't know that.

**Frugal Nurse** · 05-26-2008, 04:08 PM

A lot of people don't know that.
But you could be a consulting person.

I have a very good lawyer friend. Who is also the lawyer for all his friends and family (I guess I'm not that special). So I think it only applies to the medical profession.

So many rules and regs.

It has to do with the attachment factor... clouding your clinical decisions. If you are overseeing ~it's only to make sure that everything you think should be done IS done.

You can not even prescribe a medication for your family member.
Does it happen? I'm sure it does somewhere.

A doctor would be sued for negligence (in comes the lawyer) for a bad decision - but a family member won't hold a family member legally responsible for a bad decision. That's bad for society. We still should be held accountable for our actions- it's just reality.

**Megareader** · 05-26-2008, 04:17 PM

Frugal Nurse, do you mean that if the child of an MD needs something minor like an antibiotic, the MD can't prescribe it?

**Frugal Nurse** · 05-26-2008, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by Megareader

Frugal Nurse, do you mean that if the child of an MD needs something minor like an antibiotic, the MD can't prescribe it?

That is true. You can not prescribe for your own family.
(antibiotics especially-which are no longer minor anymore with all the drug resistant germs)

I'm not saying that it's not done. But ethically, morally, and legally- no. Will a doctor get caught? likely to be low- but if he is caught- it will taint his reputation.

It's just not worth it.

I get asked all the time to give a script for viagra or cialis. Grrrrrrr!
I have to politely refer them to their physician. (funny they're all males!)

**Frugal Nurse** · 05-26-2008, 06:52 PM

I should probably point out that in an emergency ANY doctor can treat ANYBODY, family member or not.

That's where the loophole is.

**Neeley** · 05-26-2008, 07:07 PM

If someone in my family was an OB/GYN - no I would not be his/her patient. However, any other type of physician or nurse, then yes I would. My mom and the doctor she works for have treated everyone in our family for the past 30 years.

**Frugal Nurse** · 05-26-2008, 07:15 PM

oh, oh... is your mom the doctor? or NP? treating her family?

It's okay that the doctor treats someone else's family member (I would want that too- a trusted person)... but.. your mom medically treating her own children? In a professional capacity? Hmmmmmmm

**Goodwin17** · 05-26-2008, 09:05 PM

I'm a NP and so is my mother. My stepsister is an NP and her husband is an MD in Florida. I've worked for doctors in Florida and Alabama, and all of them that I know of have written medications for loved ones. If it legally couldn't be done then the pharmacies wouldn't fill it. You can't write them for yourself however. I agree that it's not the best idea to see them as patients in a professional capacity.

**kellydoeshair** · 05-26-2008, 09:43 PM

my mom isn't a doctor but she is the best darn labor and delivery RN I've ever heard of
and believe me when the time comes and I'm in labor etc etc
she WILL be there and she will have a say on what goes down

**beeba** · 05-26-2008, 09:58 PM

I've picked a friend as my GP. I loved having her there and felt I could ask her anything. Unfortunately my insurance changed and I no longer have her.

**stinkbug** · 05-26-2008, 11:37 PM

I'm gonna have to disagree with you on one point. A Dr. can, in fact, write an RX for a family member. They cannot write an RX for a *controlled substance* for a family member, but anitbiotics, etc. they can. It *may* vary by state, but I know this is true here in ID, as dh is the chairman for the ID state board of pharmacy. (and I just asked him

**starsapphire** · 05-26-2008, 11:47 PM

DH and I are very good friends with a doctor, have seen him professionally too. Can't any more, as he has changed jobs and works in a different capacity now. But I told him at the get-go that I wouldn't see him for certain things. I'd feel too uncomfortable about that, and he completely understood.

**Palooka** · 05-27-2008, 12:34 AM

Originally Posted by kellydoeshair

my mom isn't a doctor but she is the best darn labor and delivery RN I've ever heard of
and believe me when the time comes and I'm in labor etc etc
she WILL be there and she will have a say on what goes down

Heh, well everybody should know that the RN's do most of the work anyway! I mean the doc walks in at the last minute...

I worked for doc's before and had any script I needed or wanted too.