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Thu, 7 Mar 2002 08:09:54 -0500

Dr. Leifsson,

If there is a place for this degree of gallows humor, it is an =
exceedingly
small place; the gallows, perhaps.  But probably not even there.

Surely, a culture steeped in violence and poverty will affect the
performance of any hospital.  As unsettling as the Johannesburg patient =
care
protocols are, they are at least understandable in context.  But I =
could not
disagree more strongly that the "When to shoot a patient" document =
should be
measured by the same standard.  It is NOT a symptom of an evil =
situation;
it's a vector.

If the hospital is not the last refuge of decency in a community, all =
hope
is lost.  Human slips, quirks, and foibles bubble to the top from time =
to
time; but when a health care facility places its name on a web site =
above a
protocol for surgical experimentation on dirtbags, it shames us all.=20

I'm disappointed at the lack of outrage here.

Pret Bjorn, RN
Trauma Coordinator
EMMC Trauma Program
Bangor, ME USA

-----Original Message-----
From: Bj=F6rn G Leifsson [mailto:bjorngl@itn.is]
Sent: Wednesday, March 06, 2002 6:48 PM
To: trauma-list@trauma.org
Subject: Re: "when to shoot a patient"

Re: "when to shoot a patient"

This category of humour is called "Gallow humour" in our language.
I understand and respect the soil from which it has sprung.
Too us living in peace and tranquility it is extremely bad taste but =
put in=20
its own context it should be regarded as a symptom of an evil =
situation.

Have a nice day

Bj=F6rn Geir Leifsson MD
Consultant / Staff Surgeon
Dept. of Surgery
Landspitali University Hospital
Lsp Fossvogi
108 Reykjavik
ICELAND
bjorngl@landspitali.is
+354 525 1000 (Hosp. switchb.)
+354 867 8836 (mobile)
+354 525 1304 (fax)

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"when to shoot a patient"