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Informed Consent
This is a story that took place in a bygone era of medicine, for good and worse. It is set in the 1970-80’s and doctors, especially hospital staff appointed doctors, were considered elite. Esteemed practiced men of medicine who gave unquestioned orders to their overworked interns and residents. It was a feudal system, by any other name. The staff physicians lords, the residents and iterns, slaves.
At the top of the hierarchy was the King, better known as the chief Hospital Administrator. His job was to carefully guard the reputation of his hospital, and hence the physicians and surgeons working there. And, it did not matter whether they were competent, or not. Yes, doctors had God complexes, and a wall of secrecy made them untouchable, yet desirable.
It was also an era of limited technology, when doctors actually were trained to listen with a stethoscope, as well as to their patients, rather than relying on machinary. Nurses did more patient care, than spending endless hours charting “War and Peace” patient computer records. Sexism was still rampant with less woman achieving high ranking positions in the field. HIV infection and AIDS was still a new disease with a death sentence. And, patient’s were informed what their treatment would be by demi-gods, rather than given options or probabilities of success and failure.
As Dickens said, it was the best of times – it was the worst of times. So true. This book is an account of events in a hospital at such a period of time. It can be considered fiction, but make no mistake, much of it is real.
At the top of the hierarchy was the King, better known as the chief Hospital Administrator. His job was to carefully guard the reputation of his hospital, and hence the physicians and surgeons working there. And, it did not matter whether they were competent, or not. Yes, doctors had God complexes, and a wall of secrecy made them untouchable, yet desirable.
It was also an era of limited technology, when doctors actually were trained to listen with a stethoscope, as well as to their patients, rather than relying on machinary. Nurses did more patient care, than spending endless hours charting “War and Peace” patient computer records. Sexism was still rampant with less woman achieving high ranking positions in the field. HIV infection and AIDS was still a new disease with a death sentence. And, patient’s were informed what their treatment would be by demi-gods, rather than given options or probabilities of success and failure.
As Dickens said, it was the best of times – it was the worst of times. So true. This book is an account of events in a hospital at such a period of time. It can be considered fiction, but make no mistake, much of it is real.
216 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 2013
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September 23, 2013
As a medical librarian working in the health care system I haven't read as good a portrayal of hospital life since "House of God." This fiction novel realistically portrays medical training through the eyes of a hospital's staff doctors, residents, interns, and nurses. The hospital is run by a tyrannical administration protected by snake-like lawyers, and the house staff are treated like its pawns. Self-sacrifice is expected of its young doctors; not for patient care, but how best to cover the hospital's reputation. There is plenty of dark humour, but always an underlying realism that patient's lives hang in the balance. The ending has an interesting twist and cries out for a sequel. This book will be enjoyed by anyone involved or interested in the lives of doctors-in-training and the hospitals they work in.
Displaying 1 of 1 review