You are a medical student in theatre one morning observing a gynaecology surgeon with a posterior vaginal wall prolapse repair. The patient has been anaesthetised, but before the operation commences, the surgeon asks you to come and perform a vaginal examination on the patient, as it is a valuable learning opportunity. What is the most appropriate response to this situation? A-Perform the examination as you have never examined a vaginal prolapse before and so would be valuable for future reference B-Perform the examination, but visit the patient afterwards to explain and gain consent retrospectively C-Ask if you can leave the theatre quickly to ask consent from the patient's family who are waiting on the ward nearby D-Refuse to examine the patient E-Perform the examination but make sure you gain consent from patient's on future theatre lists you attend
By the way, this is a great scenario. Please post these kind of cases often to help us tackle hospital or professional problems😊.
B and E can be done together.. You need to perform such examination for the benefit of the patient. You also need to obey as much as possible your seniors in profession most especially your teachers so you're almost compelled to do it. Finally, against future occurrences, seek the permission of your patients should in case you need to perform such or even similar examinations.
My hospital is a teaching hospital and it is clearly stated on the surgical consent form that treatment will be done by a team which would include med students under supervision. The consent can be modified if the patient chooses but when you agree to have surgery in a teaching hospital it is made clear that their surgery is a teaching opportunity for all members of the team under staff supervision☺😷
