MEDICAL ETHICS IN THE PRACTICE OF DOCTORS AND MEDICAL STUDENTS: SURVEY CARRIED OUT AT UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS IN SFAX-TUNISIA

Abstract

Introduction: Medicine is constantly evolving, hencethe need to adapt the rules of ethical conduct ofdoctors and caregivers. The aim of bioethics and medical is to respect and protectthe individual. Ethical conflicts engendered by practice. Medical problems are rarely mentioned. The objective of our work is to analyze the place ofthe ethical and ethical considerations of doctors and medical studentsin their daily exercise.
Material and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive and observational survey, carried out with doctors and medical students in university hospitals from Sfax, Tunisia. It was a questionnaireprepared in advance. Data gatheringwas done over a period of one week, fromSeptember 19, 2019 to September 25, 2019.
Results: We gathered 150 participants. Theparticipants are divided almost equally betweenboth sexes and they are mostly medical students. Eighty-five percent of participantshave attached importance to medical ethicstheir professional life. A significant link with the specialty practiced has been demonstrated (p=0.017). The most of the participants responded that they were meeting day-to-day ethical issues during their exercise. The three most important issuesoften encountered in the practice of participantswere patient consent, professional secrecyand situations of vulnerability. More than half of participants reported that they knew «little or not at all»ethical laws (62%). There was a significant link withparticipant’s professional experience (p=0.03). The majority of our participants replied that the committeeethics are sometimes useful. According to the participants, the roleof this committee was mainly to advise the staffwhen they encounter ethical problems and training in medical ethics.
Conclusion: Doctors and medical students arefacing ethical conflicts in their practicemedical. This study shows that they often need ethical reflections to solve problemsencountered during professional practice. From thisfact, we must set up a training medical ethics studies and include it in thefirst years of medical studies.