TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:RE: NPR story on medicine labeling From:"Dan Goldstein" <DGoldstein -at- riverainmedical -dot- com> To:<techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Thu, 7 Dec 2006 10:02:59 -0500
I'd go even further. Even if the patients *were* their subordinates, the
doctor and pharmacist would be obligated to provide precise instructions
without being asked. A medicine taken incorrectly can be a poison.
Consider an Army private being trained by an officer or NCO in the use
of a dangerous weapon. The private is a subordinate, not a customer.
Even so, the trainer is obligated to provide precise instructions, in
order to reduce the risk to the trainee.
You are always obligated to take the initiative in communicating risks.
Risk trumps all other relationships.
-- Dan Goldstein
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dick Margulis
> Sent: Thursday, December 07, 2006 9:37 AM
> To: Abby Klemmer
> Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Re: NPR story on medicine labeling
>
> I heard the same story, but I came away from it with a
> different lesson. At the end, we're told to go to the
> NPR site for a list of five questions we should ask
> every time we're given a prescription. Earlier in the
> story, various healthcare professionals (doctors,
> pharmacists) emphasize that any errors in taking
> medications are the patient's fault.
>
> What I heard was a complete disconnect from reality.
> It seems to me that if there are five questions we
> should ask every time a med is prescribed, then maybe
> it behooves the doctor and pharmacist to provide that
> information in the first place instead of waiting for
> the minority of informed patients to ask. And it also
> seems to me that blaming patients for medication
> errors gets it backwards. Target has the right idea,
> as does the guy who looked at warning labels; the other
> doctors and pharmacy academics quoted have it wrong
> because they see patients as their subordinates, not
> their customers.
>
This message contains confidential information intended only for the use of the addressee(s). If you are not the addressee, or the person responsible for delivering it to the addressee, you are hereby notified that reading, disseminating, distributing, copying, electronic storing or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message by mistake, please notify us, by replying to the sender, and delete the original message immediately thereafter. Thank you.
WebWorks ePublisher Pro for Word features support for every major Help
format plus PDF, HTML and more. Flexible, precise, and efficient content
delivery. Try it today! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l
Easily create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to any popular Help file format or printed documentation. Learn more at http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- infoinfocus -dot- com -dot-
