Current status of knowledge, attitudes and practices towards healthcare ethics among doctors and nurses from Northern India - A multicentre study

Background: Recent raise in litigation against healthcare practitioners is definitely an issue of immediate concern and may reflect an increase in unethical practices by them. Professional relations between physicians and nurses may have differences with respect to their attitudes towards patient-care. Aim and Objectives: To assess the knowledge of, and attitudes to healthcare ethics among north Indian physicians and nurses. Material and Methods: The present cross sectional study was carried out among 298 physicians and 107 nurses of three medical colleges of northern India in the month of July-August 2011 using pretested self administered questionnaire. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 20. Result and Conclusion: There was a statistically significant difference between the opinion of physicians and nurses with respect to adherence to confidentiality, paternalistic attitude of doctors (doctors should do their best for the patient irrespective of the patient's opinion), informing close relatives of a patients for consent procedures. The study highlighted gaps in the knowledge about practical aspects of health care ethics among physicians and nurses which they encounter in day to day practice at workplace. Measures of workplace education like sensitization workshops, CME's, conferences on health care ethics would assist in bridging this gap to a certain extent.