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Small Group Sessions

CMCC Chiropractic Oath

Redefined

I do hereby swear, before the gathered witnesses, that I will do my utmost to keep this my trusted oath, as a graduate of the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College.I will respect the Art, Science and Philosophy of Chiropractic, and will assist and encourage others to restore their natural health. I will value fellow colleagues within the profession and preserve the integrity of Chiropractic, at all times.

 

I will engage in serving my patients, fellow chiropractors, and all those around me with the utmost of respect and professional conduct for our profession. Honoured in such a way that we, as chiropractors, have the ability to heal with our hands to prevent human suffering.

 

I will keep the physical and mental needs of humanity as my primary duty, providing care to the best of my ability, with respect to my accession of knowledge in the highest precepts of my Alma Mater and harmonious with the Vis Medicatrix Naturae.

I will serve without discrimination of identity in my mandate of alleviating pain and suffering.

 

I will refrain from any act of wrongdoing and will regard the keeping of a patient’s confidence as a moral obligation, using any such information only in their best interests.

 

I therefore solemnly swear to uphold these principles to the best of my ability.

My Ethical Dilemma

A few years prior to moving to Toronto, I was waiting in line at a Tim Horton’s back home in Halifax for my morning coffee. I was about to walk up to the cashier when suddenly I saw the man in front of me rush out of the door in a hurry. Before I could look up, I saw that he had dropped over $300 in cash on the floor. By the time I was able to pick up the money and call for him, he had already left the building.  No one else had seen the man drop the money except for myself. Now standing outside and not being able to see the man around the restaurant, I wasn’t sure if I should keep the money or not. I found myself slowly walking towards my car with the money in my pocket. I kept on reassuring myself that no one else had seen the man drop the money or had seen me pick the money off the floor. When I finally made it to my car, I realized that feelings of guilt were falling upon me. I decided it would be best for my mental well being to take the money back into the Tim Horton’s and give it to the cashiers. That way if the man came back he has the opportunity to get his money back. I am still not sure he did come back for the money, but I know it would have bothered me afterwards if I had ended up taking the money home. 

Reflection- Should Chiropractors be able to treat their spouses? 

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It is my personal opinion that chiropractors should be able to treat their spouses if they choose and most importantly, if the chiropractors does not charge their spouse for their services. In addition I feel as though the following criteria should be followed:

  • Spouses should be treated as any other patient:

  • History, Physical exam, and informed consent, as well as all other procedures required for the intake of a regular patient.

  • If regular treatment is required, then the spouse should be referred to another chiropractor.

  • The chiropractor cannot bill the spouse, and must offer services free of charge.

  • All fraudulent activities are prohibited.

  • Standards of care that apply to all other patients should be upheld.

  • The chiropractor must remain objective and professional. In the event that is not possible, then the spouse should be referred to another chiropractor.

  • All treatments should be provided in a professional space, with the appropriate equipment, ensuring the safety of both the patient and the doctor.

  • The chiropractor must act in the best interest of the patient and uphold the regulations of the governing body.

Career Path- Reflection

Throughout my kinesiology degree at Dalhousie University, I had the opportunity to volunteer as an athletic trainer for a variety of sports teams. I also had the privilege of having Dr. Katherine MacAdam, a well-respected chiropractor and former graduate of CMCC, as a mentor for my placement practicum. In addition, I worked part-time as both a physiotherapy assistant in a sports medicine facility and in the Halifax hospitals for the Capital District Health Authority. Through all my experiences with patient care and observation, my desire to pursue chiropractic had been reinforced and created the foundation for my professional development as a healthcare provider. The knowledge, wisdom and personal experiences Dr. MacAdam shared with me regarding the chiropractic profession, including the various treatment techniques and modalities she utilizes as well as the business aspect of practice, has expanded my interest in the field even further. Working with patients and athletes has become part of my daily lifestyle and something I truly am passionate in continuing to pursue. Becoming a trained professional in spinal health and musculoskeletal conditions from CMCC will allow me to reach my goals with an appreciation for delivery of world class chiropractic education, research and patient centered care. After nearly completing 3 years at CMCC as a peer-tutor, award recipient and as part of the dean’s list, I am confident that my professional identity as a chiropractor will continue to grow and reflect my past experiences as I move into the professional world.

 

CP Small Group Reflection- Should any of these activities not be permitted?

1. Has anyone seen a chiropractor that does pre-payment or blocked plans?

 

Group discussion:
 

As a group we do not think the profession should allow for blocked payment plans. We feel like it is a scam, is unethical and that it undermines the profession. We think that pre-payment options should be allowed on a patient by patient basis, and if they are discharged prior to completing the amount of treatments they paid for that the extra appointments should be credited to their account to be used at another time. 

 

Group discussion:

 

This form of payment was ok to us as a group. We did not see an issue with this form of payment but some people in our group, were unsure if they would implement this in their practice or not, but is something they would probably consider in the future. Especially if patients were asking about it as it is more convenient for the patient and front desk staff, especially if the patient comes in often.

 

 

                2. Open concept style of practice?

  • Definitely benefits to this, but also cons as well

  • Prevents individuals from discussing certain topics that they may not be comfortable with discussing in front of people

  • Can be beneficial because different patients get different treatments that these patients may not recognize our profession can help with. Example the one patient gets treated for headaches and the second patient didn’t realize we can help with these. This can promote your concept

  • This allows you to be pretty social but not seeing serious conditions

  • This makes us different from other healthcare practitioners and can further give us a negative name

 

Group discussion:

 

We did not think open concept styles of practice are appropriate. We are primary health care practitioners and some of the information patients share with us is sensitive, and therefore should be discussed in private. Furthermore, patients would be less inclined to share information with their practitioner if it was in an open concept room. We also feel that because our patients are paying for our services that they should have our undivided attention during their treatment time and that they should be our number one priority. This type of relationship is easier to maintain in a closed off space where the patient can have your undivided attention that is free from distractions or interruptions. However, we felt that an open concept style could be appropriate when passive care (ie. Modalities) is being done. 

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