Truth telling in the medical practice I think is a no brainer. Statistics show that most people want to be told their diagnosis even if the prognosis is bad. Some doctors argue that not telling the patient does less harm than telling the patient and that is how they justify leaving out certain facts about a patients diagnosis. In all reality, it only harms the patient more. Patients need closure, they need to know what is going on so they can make informed decisions about their care and about their personal matters. If you were to lie, or omit facts, to a patient that could die, then they have not prepared for their departure from life. Initially, and with some patients, they may handle the news with extreme reactions. It may seem as if because they found out about the horrible diagnosis that their emotional status declines. In the long run, obviously, what they do with the information given to them is up to them. Knowing what is going on with themselves is very important. Once they know and they calm down the patient can make informed decisions to put things in place just in case of their death. If the patient is not fully informed they may make a medical decision to everything possible with hope that everything will be okay. Even though they may do this anyways even if there isn’t any hope left, but at least they will know what is going on. No matter what the patient should always be in the “KNOW” of what is going on. What would you want? I know for a fact that I would want to know everything that was going on with myself if I were ever in this situation.
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