Two trends in medicine are altering what patients expect from their doctors and nurses and what doctors and nurses of both sexes now expect from each other.
The guidelines for patients’ eligibility for bariatric surgery have not changed since 1991, although recent data suggest there may be indications for broadening application of the surgery.
In one study, nurses who called for ethics consultations experienced physician anger, strained relationships with other team members, and even threats to their continued employment.
Asymmetry in knowledge and power between (1) physicians and patients and (2) physician educators and their students creates a climate for possible abuse in both sets of relationships.