Dos and Don'ts for Doctors

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Don'ts for Doctors

Don’t prescribe without examining the patient, even if he is a close friend or relative (Telephone advice is an exception).

Never examine a female patient without presence of female nurse/ attendant, especially during genital and breast examinations.
Don’t insist on the patient to tell the history of illness or be examined in presence of others. He has right to privacy and confidentiality.
Do not permit considerations of religion, nationality, race, party, politics or social standing to intervene between you and your patient.
It may not be reasonable for a doctor to assume what the patient is saying is truthful where what the patient/ attendant says is clearly contradicted by the symptoms.

Don’t smoke while examining a patient.
Don’t examine a patient when you are sick, exhausted, or under influence of alcohol or any intoxicated substance.
Don’t be overconfident. Don’t look overconfident.
Don’t’ prescribe a drug or indulge in a procedure of you cannot justify its indication.
Don’t prescribe a drug or indulge in a procedure of you cannot justify its indication.
Don’t prescribe/ administer a drug which is banned, e.g. Analgin.
Don’t over-prescribe/ administer: too much of the drug, too large a dose, for too long.

Don’t under-prescribe: not prescribing the needed drug, dose is too small, length of treatment is too short.
Don’t prescribe multiple drugs. Such prescription may be due to inability to form a correct diagnosis or other causes. Possibilities of drug interactions increase with polypharmacy.
Don’t write instructions on a separate slip. Don’t allow substitutions.
Don’t adopt experimental method in treatment. If there is some rationale do it only after informed consent.
Don’t do anything beyond your level of competence. Competence is defined by your qualification, training and experience.

Don’t give a drug parenterally if it can be given orally. There may be some exceptions.
When you are not sure what and why to do. Consult your senior/ specialist/ colleague.
Don’t refuse if the patient/ attendants want to leave against medical advice. It is their right. Document this properly.
Never avoid a cal for help from a nurse on duty at night. In all probability a genuine emergency may be there.
Never order an investigation unless the result is likely to help you direct the treatment or make a difference in what you tell a patient.
Don’t allow modern diagnostics tests to substitute your clinical judgment. At best, they can only supplement t. Always analyze the cost-benefit ratio before rushing to get these tests done. In case a particular test had high false positive or false negative results, explain this to the patient before getting it done.
Never label any condition as “functional” until you are as certain as possible of the accuracy.