Withholding truth from patients.
The issue of whether patients should always be told the truth regarding their diagnosis and prognosis has afforded much debate in healthcare literature. This article examines telling the truth from an ethical perspective. It puts forward arguments for and against being honest with patients, using a clinical example to illustrate each point.
O'Sullivan
Elizabeth
E
Mayo General Hospital, Castlebar, Co Mayo. lizosul@eircom.net
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations / Q000941:ethics; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations / Q000941:ethics*; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011379:Prognosis; D012935:Social Justice / Q000592:standards; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics*; D014342:Truth Disclosure / Q000941:ethics*