Rules guiding code of conduct of medical practitioners by NMA in Nigeria objectives.
1. To enable medical practitioners to maintain universally acceptable professional standards and conduct.
2. To meet the demands of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) with regards to ethics and quality of professional practice.
3. To serve as guidelines and standard in the relationship of the medical & dental practitioner with their profession, with their colleagues, with their px, with members of allied profession and with the public.
Responsibilities of MDCN.
Code of conduct contained in decree 23 of 1988, Act cap 221 of the Law of federal Republic of Nigeria.
1. To determine study of knowledge & skill to be attained by prospective medical & dental professionals with periodic review.
2. Registration of doctors & dentists entitled to practice in Nigeria and publication of these lists from time to time.
3. Preparation & reviewing of code of conduct for the profession in Nigeria from time to time.
4. Induction of newly qualified medical doctor and dental surgeons into the profession.
DUTIES OF DOCTORS
1. A doctor must always maintain the highest level of professional conduct
2. Must practice his professional, uninfluenced by motive of profit
3. A doctor is adviced to use great caution in divining discoveries of new techniques and treatment.
4. Any act or advice that could weaken physical or mental resistance of a human being should be used only in the interest of the px
5. A doctor should certify or testify to only that to which he had personally verified.
UNETHICAL PRATICES.
1. Any self advertisemt except as it is expressly authorized by the national code of medical practice.
2. Collaboration in any form of medical service into the doctor does not have professional independent and or full control over decisions on relevant professional issues.
3. Receiving any money in connection with services rendered to a part order than a proper professional fees even with the px own knowledge.
CONSTITUENT OF PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE
1. Failure to give prompt attention to part
2. Manifestation of incompetese in the accessment of a part
3. Making an incorrect diagnosis particularly when the clinical presentation is so glaring that no skillful & competent medical practitioner will fail to recognize it and arrive at an appropriate diagnosis.
4. Failure to give proper advice to part on the risk that are attendant on a particular course of treatment or operation management.
5. Making glaringly avoidable mistakes in the course of giving treatment
6. By action or omission, causing professioners or paraprofessioners under or superversion or working in close association wt you to act to the detriment of the patient
MALPRACTICE
Failure to meet the professionally accepted study, method or decorum of the medical professional as laud down in the MDCN decree.
Penalties for misconduct:
1. Reprimanded by set up panel.
2. Suspension for a period not exceeding 6 month.
3. Striking off of a practitioner’s name from the relevant register permanently or for a particular period of time.
Relationship
With colleague – Doctor – doctor relationship.
1. Respect to senior colleagues professionally &socially. The senior colleague must set good example and give guidance at all times to the junior colleague.
2. Instigation of litigation- Considered a misconduct for a doctor to advice lawsuit against a colleague or an institution except where the doctor is related by blood or by marriage to the aggrieved person.
3. Treatment – It is advisable for a doctor to refer the treatmt of a close relative to anther doctor except in minor ailment.
A doctor should avoid self treatment except in minor ailments or when another doctor can’t be reached on time.
No professional fee is charged when treating a colleague.
4. Case referral to colleagues
- Pt should be referred to competent doctor on time.
- Give comprehensive report of pt condition when referring the pt.
- It is a misconduct for a doctor to refer a pt to you for a 2nd opinion and you take over the management of the pt.
5. mgt of pt. among practitioners.
- There must be no direct or indirect enticing of other colleague pt.
- There must be no profession dealing with a pt already under another doctor service in the particular episode of unless wxpcet on emergency or you have given a notice to the other doctor.
6. Notice to practitutioners in a locality: Consultant may publish the availability of their service to their locality or medical journal but must not contradict medical ethics.
Relationship of doctor with pt – Doctor – patient relationship.
1. The responsible medical office – The pratictioner that takes optimum ultimate responsibility for the care of the pt. All pt are registered in the name of the responsible medical offices.
2. confidentiality – Any thing of professional secrecy must be kept except when there is informed consent; even after death of the pt. Duty of doctor to keep the secret outlive and outlast his time of employment keeping secret exclude situations where
i. Discretionally bridge of confidentiality is necessary to protect the pt or comm. From danger.
ii. When statutory notification of the dx is involved.
3. Termination of service by pt. – pt is at liberty to terminate your service at any pt. in time (DAMA – Discharge against medical Advice). Such service should be restored without prejudice, when they come back for help.
4. Right of doctor to withdraw service – Doctor do not have a right to withdraw his service from a pt once it is started, with you can do is to refer them.
5. Discovery of deception on professionals
Criminal deception by pt on doctor should be brought to notice of appropriate authorities. The exception is when deception is asymptomatic of psychotic dx.
6. Medical pratitioners as a witness
A doctor must not bargain with a pt or any person for a fee or otherwise as a condition for giving evidence in court.
This does not preclude payment of a reasonable non contingent fee for expert witness for writing for solicitors, insurance companies etc.
7. Professioner fees.
A doctor is allowed to sue pt if they refuse to pay your fee I bill.
8. Adultery or improper conduct or associam with pt. Code of conduct frowns on this, penalty is erasure of the doctor name from the register.
9. Care of in- patients.
In – patient must be seen as often as it is consistent with good
In – patient care
Adequate note in case notes everytime must be written with date, time signature etc.
Communicate regularly as appropriate with pt or any relation also the diagnosis, prognosis depending on the condition.
Doctor – Paraprofessioner Relationship
1. Retainer-ship is allowed but this should not be allowed to compromise the ethics of the profession.
2. Doctor must not aide the unprofessional practise of medicine.
Doctor relationship with media
1. There should be no self advertise or procurement
2. Media publication of pending treating or new discoveries is not allowed
3. Doctor should not employ conversers or tout.
4. Signboard or signpost – only name of hospitals, type of facilities & clinic hours should be on it and should be placed in the premises or the hospital alone.
If you are not the only one using the building, you are only allowed to use plank and place infront of your hospital.
- A use directional signpost is allowed. Only hospitals should be written on the board.
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