Member-only story
Having Ethics Cost Me My Job In The Medical Field Again
Moral codes and burnout have healthcare workers suffering
I was not trying to be a whistleblower, it happened subconsciously. My nursing and nurse practitioner training all aligned with one basic fundamental concept: to abide by a code of ethics. Do no harm.
Healthcare was marketed as a profession of caring, of service, of making a difference.
Instead of entering jobs that prioritize patient safety and quality of care, I traversed a long track record of medical jobs that reflected the opposite.
What feels like a disorienting finale, not once but twice this year I found myself trapped inside an episode of American Greed, the medical field edition.
I am not the only healthcare worker afflicted by this profession. Many are. More than burnout, more than exhaustion, working in the demands of healthcare in most places in America has cost us a sense of mental wellness and quality of life.
This year I experienced extremes I never could have fathomed the day I entered this workforce 15 years ago.
Being manipulated, mistreated, and denied the right to give ethical care as a healthcare worker has traumatized me.
