Professional choice as a moral dilemma for doctors in the context of COVID-19

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Abstract

Introduction. The COVID-19 pandemic has added new semantic trend to the problem of the professional choice of doctors through a change in the conditions of their activities in the direction of intensifying tasks, complicating the possibilities for their implementation, and multiplying the uncertainty of the efforts made.

The purpose of the study. Assessing the professional choice of doctors in the context of COVID-19 when solving moral dilemmas.

Material and methods. The total sample size was four hundred twenty nine people (doctors of various surgical and therapeutic specialties) aged of 25–32 years. All doctors had at least 1.5 years of practical experience in COVID-19 conditions. The study was conducted using a questionnaire developed by the author, containing 24 moral dilemmas related to professional decision-making.

Results. Regardless of the doctor’s profile, professional choice is made in favour of patients of the same gender as the doctor. At the same time, both male and female doctors strive to save young patients (up to 50 years old) with chronic diseases. At the same time, it should be noted that the profile (therapeutic or surgical) of a doctor and his specialty also influence the criteria for choosing professional decisions. Clear criteria in the situation of moral choice have not been established only in the group of ophthalmologists.

Limitations. Excluded from participation in the study were pediatricians and dentists, as well as doctors who lack professional experience in the context of COVID-19.

Conclusion. As a result of the study, it was found that regardless of the working conditions (in the red zone for COVID-19, in the green zone), both male and female doctors choose in favour of patients of the same gender. At the same time, doctors working in the red zone on COVID-19 make a professional choice in a situation of moral choice in favour of young patients of the same gender with chronic diseases. Physicians working in the green zone make the choice to rescue elderly patients of the same gender as physicians.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study was conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Fundamentals of Legislation «On the Protection of the Health of Citizens». All participants signed an informed consent for the examination (extract from the protocol of the meeting of the ethical committee No. 6 dated April 15, 2021).

Contribution of the authors:
Nikishina V.B. — the concept and design of the study, writing the text, editing, approval of the final version of the article;
Petrash E.A. — writing the text, editing, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article;
Morgun A.N. — collection and processing of material, statistical processing of data;
Morgun L.A. — collection and processing of material, statistical processing of data;
Nedurueva T.V. — collection and processing of material, statistical processing of data.

Acknowledgment. The study had no sponsorship.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Received: February 09, 2022
Accepted: March 16, 2022
Published: April 28, 2023

About the authors

Vera B. Nikishina

Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University

Author for correspondence.
Email: noemail@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2421-3652
Russian Federation

Ekaterina A. Petrash

Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University

Email: petrash@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-3177-088X

MD, PhD, DSci., Associate Professor, Professor of the Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Clinical Psychology and Social Work, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, 117997, Russian Federation.

e-mail: petrash@mail.ru 

Russian Federation

Aleksey N. Morgun

Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University

Email: noemail@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5333-2282
Russian Federation

Lyubov A. Morgun

Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University

Email: noemail@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1099-485X
Russian Federation

Tatyana V. Nedurueva

Kursk State Medical University

Email: noemail@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3694-1710
Russian Federation

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Copyright (c) 2023 Nikishina V.B., Petrash E.A., Morgun A.N., Morgun L.A., Nedurueva T.V.

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