Is it Ethical to Refuse to Treat a Patient due to Sexual Identity?

Is it Ethical to Refuse to Treat a Patient due to Sexual Identity?

Why are 'nonbelievers' expected to accommodate greater and greater expanse of 'religious freedoms'?I wish I was free of being asked to accommodate 'believers'. I'd be behind the development of laws to push back against my lawful acts being conscripted in ANY way by 'religious freedoms'.

No it is not ethical. There is nothing else to say about it.

I live where this is a hot topic and many of my paramedic friends have condemned this crap bill. It's infuriating, and if I personally witness someone discriminate anyone because of this law, you can be sure I will make a HUGE stink about it!

I personally don't know any nurses or doctors that this would even be a fleeting thought for. No. It is not ethical.

I think the only way in which a medical professional should be able to refuse an assignment or refuse to treat a certain patient is when it is possible that the medical professional him/herself might come to harm, such as a pregnant woman refusing to take care of a patient with shingles. A patient's sexual orientation doesn't affect the nurse. Ebola, though... that just might affect the nurse. I'm on the fence about that one.

Well of course it is unethical. I too live in MI where this bill would possibly pass. I would hope no EMS personnel, nurse, or doctor would ever refuse care to someone due to being gay, transgender, HIV, Muslim, Jewish, Jehovah's Witness, Catholic, Black,White,Atheist, or what ever they are not in agreement with. I would make a stink about it in a heartbeat.

Is it ethical? Is that even a question?

Just in case it wasn't clear in the article, I don't feel it would be ethical either. I think it is important to know what this bill is about and how it may affect healthcare. Unfortunately, this IS a question that will be asked in the future. It has the potential to be a problem, and medical professionals have to be ready to act against it.Lynda

Quote from Lynda Lampert, RNJust in case it wasn't clear in the article, I don't feel it would be ethical either. I think it is important to know what this bill is about and how it may affect healthcare. Unfortunately, this IS a question that will be asked in the future. It has the potential to be a problem, and medical professionals have to be ready to act against it.Lynda

I'm always amazed when I see people here that go into details about their job while using their real name and have a picture of themselves as their avatar.

I'd like to think we healthcare peeps would police ourselves if it did pass, we would not tolerate this behavior in a peer, they would be ostracized out of town.