Professional Boundaries and Sexual Misconduct in Medicine
Course Overview
The medical profession has long recognized the importance of maintaining professional boundaries in order to ensure the integrity of the physician-patient relationship, foster interprofessional collaborations, and maintain the trust of the healthcare system. However, defining these boundaries can be challenging, as they are influenced by a variety of factors, including cultural norms, personal beliefs, and organizational policies. This course will explore the concept of professional boundaries in the context of physician-patient relationships, the implications of blurred boundaries, examples of boundary violations, and strategies for maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
Learning Outcomes
Upon the completion of this course, the learner should be able to:
- Define professional boundaries in the context of physician-patient relationships, interprofessional collaborations, and relationships with the healthcare system.
- Describe the importance of maintaining appropriate professional boundaries to optimize patient care, safeguard professional integrity, and minimize potential harm.
- Identify potential risk factors and warning signs of boundary violations, both in oneself and colleagues.
- Apply strategies to establish and maintain healthy professional boundaries, fostering patient trust, and promoting effective communication.
- Recognize common boundary challenges in various clinical settings and implement strategies to address them ethically and effectively.
- Utilize reflective practice and self-assessment techniques to identify personal vulnerabilities and strengths regarding professional boundaries.
- Implement practical guidelines and ethical frameworks to navigate boundary-related dilemmas and make informed decisions in complex situations.
About the Author/Presenter
Mary Franks, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and NetCE Nurse Planner. She works as a Nurse Division Planner for NetCE and a per diem nurse practitioner in urgent care in Central Illinois. Mary graduated with her Associate’s degree in nursing from Carl Sandburg College, her BSN from OSF Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing in 2013, and her MSN with a focus on nursing education from Chamberlain University in 2017. She received a second master’s degree in nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Chamberlain University in 2019. She is an adjunct faculty member for a local university in Central Illinois in the MSN FNP program. Her previous nursing experience includes emergency/trauma nursing, critical care nursing, surgery, pediatrics, and urgent care. As a nurse practitioner, she has practiced as a primary care provider for long-term care facilities and school-based health services. She enjoys caring for minor illnesses and injuries, prevention of disease processes, health, and wellness. In her spare time, she stays busy with her two children and husband, coaching baseball, staying active with her own personal fitness journey, and cooking. She is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the Illinois Society of Advanced Practice Nursing, for which she is a member of the bylaws committee.
Audience/Accreditations and Approvals
TRC Healthcare/ NetCE
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by TRC Healthcare/ NetCE. TRC Healthcare/NetCE is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
This course is designed for the following healthcare professions (select your profession for details):
Physician
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