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report the physcian’s negligence to his supervisors in order to Iggros Moshe, if revealing a bride’s illness to her groom will cause them # 20818
fulfill “Do not stand idly by the blood of your fellowman.” to sever their relationship and she may be in danger as a result, one
should not say anything to her groom. Because who can say whose
blood is redder than the other’s? (maseches Pesachim 35b) Likewise,
in our case we must take into account that the patients presently in
the hospital may suffer as a result of the tension. Who can say whose
Is one obligated to rebuke someone for medical blood is redder?
negligence when the rebuke will certainly go Therefore, one should go about this wisely, and ask the parents
unheard? of the child whom the physician misdiagnosed with a lazy eye to
mention this to the doctor. If the authorites need to be informed so
1 Questions the negligent physician is fired, the parents should do this as well, so
as not to cause tension between colleagues, which is detrimental to
I work as a nurse on the resuscitation team in the hospital. Some- future patients in the hospital.
times I see that physicians knowingly shirk their responsibilities, or A person who wants to rebuke his friend should approach him
deviate from the things they are obligated to do, thereby increasing privately so as not to shame him. He should speak softly, as though
the patients’ suffering or shortening the life of a critically-ill patient. offering good advice. As explained in the Rambam (Chapter 6, Hilchos
Deos), “He should inform him that he is telling him this for his own
I will give several examples:
good.” The person who rebukes should be someone who understands
A dying patient is hooked up to an IV. Medical students are sent the human spirit, for our Sages have already stated in maseches Erchin
in to learn things. In doing so, they pass the IV from hand to hand or (16b) that it is difficult to find someone in our generation who knows
do other such things that are liable to hasten his death. the art of rebuking wisely.
Some patients are designated as incurable, and when in critical The Sefer Mitzvas Haeitzah provides some guidelines for the mitz-
condition they do not receive the necessary treatment. The reasoning vah of rebuking one’s fellow:
is that the hospital needs to provide treatment to those who are cur- a) The rebuke must be stated in a way that judges the person
able and to focus its efforts and use its resources for the patients who favorably. For example: Perhaps you did what you did out of de-
still have a chance of recovery.
pression or bitterness. This is what Chana said to Eli Hakohein,
Some nurses and physicians have difficulty in finding a vein and “Did you not know that I am a bitter woman? Why did you
drawing blood from the arm. Instead they draw blood from the vein not judge me favorably? (Brachos 31b). Our Sages assert that he
near the hand, causing the patient extra suffering. who mistakenly suspects someone who is in the right has done a
There are other similar examples of wrongdoing that I observe grave sin and must appease the other (Shabbos 87a). In our case,
during my work as a nurse in the hospital. this would mean that one should tell the seemingly negligent
doctor something to the effect of, “Perhaps the machinery you
My question is: Am I obligated to point out these occurrences if I
know that in many cases my words will go unheeded? Doing so may were using was not in order?”
endanger my position in the hospital. b) It says in Sefer Hachassidim (#5) that one should rebuke a per-
228 1 Medical-HalacHic Responsa of Rav ZilbeRstein Informing a patient about a mistake 2 241
