A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

serious dilemma - moral objector

Posted: Sep 16, 2014

Has anyone run across a suicide planning document? Wondering how I can NOT be a participant in that... thx for any response.

Can you give more details? - sm - Anon

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I don't understand. Thanks.

Depends - sm

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If you are "friendly" with your employer, try to change dictators, if it occurs a lot, or let them know you need to re-route that job.

If not, you could return to pool and take the hit on cherry-picking.

I felt I couldn't/didn't want to type late fetal demise notes when I was 8 months pregnant. I know that isn't the same sort of moral dilemma, but I felt very uncomfortable with the notes, as in almost every one of them the person had been to the doctor the week before and everything was just great and this day the baby was dead. I had had a lot of early miscarriages (4 in one year).

So, point is, there are notes that make us uncomfortable sometimes and most people will give you the space to get out of it. If you are the only transcriptionist on said account and you are the only way it is going to get done, I guess you just have to do it.

a little - moral objector

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It involved a terminal illness and the plan for a "death with dignity" process.

I think that would be much easier to transcribe - than a long, painful death.

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There's nothing wrong with getting assistance with death when it's hopeless and the alternative is days, weeks, or even months of suffering and complete loss of dignity.

Your're a professional - Sm

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Act like a professional. You are being paid to transcribe dictation, not to like what you hear. None of us get to pick and choose. If you cannot remain objective, find a different job.

What a gracious reply. NOT. - smj

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There was a time when you could request not to transcribe a certain WT that went against your religious (moral) convictions. I feel sorry for people like you who always want to talk down to others. I am sure this board is full of your previous posts. I can smell them. I bet you would have no problem transcribing a partial-birth abortion.

I can't remember the last time I posted. Months ago maybe - sm

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So your sense of smell must be off. I was not trying to talk down to anyone. The OP asked a question. I answered it. Perhaps she should have requested that people respond only in a way that would be pleasing to her or anyone else on this board.

What a gracious reply. NOT part 2 - Off the wall

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"I bet you would have no problem transcribing a partial-birth abortion." Seriously? How did you tie that one in with the OP's question?

my professionalism - moral objector

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Actually, I did the job, as it was almost complete by the time I knew what it was. And I was the only one in the food chain, professional or not, that did not get to "opt out" of the planning. But thanks for your input.

Suggestion for dealing with - moral objections

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It is never pleasant to transcribe something that would be morally objectionable for you. Persons of one particular faith might object to transcribing blod transfusions and transplants, while others might object to transcribing any mention of birth control, and still another might object to transcribing any mention of divorce or that a woman is one of a man's three wives.

If your objection is that you feel you are participating in the objectionable act or factlitating/enabling it, you might need to refuse to transcribe it, with the understanding that you may lose your job.

If that is necessary, your faith should have something to make it clear, so talking to a professional in your church or faith, like a priest or minister, might help you sort out exactly how much moral responsibility you do have.

Otherwise, you could consider doing the work in compassion for the individual involved.

Another way to look at it is to realize that, although - you would never do the same, the - sm

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patient has the right to make his or her own end-of-life decisions.

rights......... - moral objector

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Not debating the patient's rights, I have all kinds of compassion, and this is not a judgment about someone else's choices. For me, there's no fine line between "end-of-life" decisions and "end my life" decisions. What about my rights? My name is now associated with that record, that plan.
I would never in a million years have dreamed I would have to leave a health care job because I can't be a party to suicide.

Morals - Anon

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To me, it is as simple as I knew when I took this job that it was healthcare, and the types of reports to do were going to be quite the learning experience. Whether I agreed with whatever was going on in the report or not is really none of my business. They have a right to their privacy and decisions. I only type to the best of my ability the report at hand. To complicate it any further than that, then I would need to find a new line of work. I pray a lot for many I do not know, not judge. (Not saying anyone else is judging, just saying this is what "I" do. I hope things get easier for you.

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