The Ministry of Health in Laos is introducing new measures to improve the behavior of medical and nursing staff following patient complaints of misconduct. These complaints include rude behavior, requests for money, and other inappropriate actions.
In response, Bounpheng Phommalaysith, the Minister of Health, discussed these issues and outlined the ministry’s plan to address them during the National Assembly session on 26 November.
According to the official, the ministry will focus on training healthcare workers on ethics and professional conduct to ensure they act respectfully and maintain trust with patients. The plan includes a tiered system of disciplinary actions for misconduct.
For a first offense, the employee will receive a formal warning, which will be recorded and presented to the department. The employee will also be required to sign an acknowledgment of the warning.
A second offense will require the employee to complete a self-assessment and take an oath in front of their department head. This will also be added to their record.
A third offense will involve the employee being referred to the personnel department, with input from other organizations. The final decision will be made by the hospital director and other leaders.
In some cases, the employee may be reassigned to a role without direct contact with patients. Serious offenses may lead to immediate dismissal, in line with civil servant laws.
The ministry has already implemented regular training for doctors and nurses to focus on ethics, morality, and social etiquette. Doctors receive this training once a year, while nurses attend twice a year. New employees, including volunteers, must complete ethics training before starting their work. The training includes assessments before and after to evaluate their understanding.
These measures aim to create a more respectful and professional healthcare environment, ensuring that medical staff treat patients with dignity and maintain the public’s trust.
Medical Staff Speak on the New Initiatives
A 24-year-old nurse from Hospital 150 in Vientiane Capital, who wishes to stay anonymous, views the ethics training program as a valuable opportunity for medical staff to improve their professionalism and patient care.
She believes the program benefits both new and experienced healthcare workers, helping them grow into more trustworthy professionals.
“Many new staff lack awareness of how to properly behave toward patients,” the nurse explained.
“Having training sessions once or twice a year on ethics and morals will surely help everyone, from newcomers to veterans, improve in some way.”
The nurse also acknowledged the criticism medical staff face for behaviors such as being rude to patients or demanding unnecessary payments. Regarding monetary requests, she admitted that such incidents do occur based on her observations but added that the issue is more complex.
“Sometimes, it’s actually the patients who offer money to certain doctors for better service and care,” she said. “Many people believe that paying extra ensures premium treatment. This mindset has essentially become a cultural norm.”
Despite these challenges, the nurse reassured that all medical staff strive to treat patients equally and without bias. She explained that the high number of patients often overwhelms staff, which can lead to dissatisfaction with the quality of care.
“It’s not about favoritism; it’s simply that the number of patients exceeds our capacity,” she added.
The 24-year-old nurse also highlighted the need for understanding both sides when it comes to accusations of rudeness among medical staff. She explained that, at times, it is the patients’ behavior that escalates tensions, putting healthcare workers in difficult situations.
“Sometimes, we try our best to explain things repeatedly, but some patients don’t understand and keep asking the same questions aggressively,” she said. “Now think about what it’s like for us. We’re sleep-deprived because there aren’t enough staff, and this can occasionally lead to arguments with patients.”
The nurse further mentioned that some patients violate hospital regulations, such as taking photos in restricted areas. While doctors often respond with warnings, these interactions can escalate when patients react aggressively, even leading to physical altercations in rare cases.
She emphasized that such situations add to the challenges faced by medical staff, who are already working under high pressure with limited resources.
The nurse concluded by urging the public to consider the challenges faced by medical staff and to stop offering extra money for better service.
“Paying us extra doesn’t guarantee the best care,” she explained. “The quality of our service depends on the resources available.”
She also asked for understanding when staff must prioritize certain cases based on their severity, which can lead to others waiting longer for attention.
“Sometimes cutting in line is necessary to address critical cases first,” she said. “I just hope people can understand this because, at times, we don’t even have the time to explain.”
