Law &. Ethics for Medical Careers 5th Edition by Karen Judson,Carlene Harrison

Exercise 41

ETHICS ISSUE 2: Patients are often accompanied by third parties who play an important part in the health care practitioner-patient relationship. The health care practitioner interacts and communicates with these indi­viduals and often is in a position to offer them information, advice, and emotional support. The more deeply involved the individual is in the clini­cal encounter and in medical decision making, the more troubling sexual or romantic contact with the health care practitioner would be. Key third parties include, but are not limited to, spouses or partners, parents, guard­ians, and proxies.
As a medical assistant, you have been present when a young, single father brings his infant in for check-ups. The child is seriously ill, and the father begins consulting you about his emotional anguish. You are also sin­gle and sense an attraction. When the young man asks you out, should you accept? Explain your answer.
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