ETHICS IN MEDICAL LAB

PRACTICE
Dr. Akinwande Kazeem S.
DDMLS, Chem. Path Dept.,
FMC Abeokuta
 Ethics - Definition
• In simple words, Ethics is a set of philosophical
beliefs and practices concerned with the
distinction between what is morally good and
bad, right and wrong.
• Ethics is a very large and complex field of study
with many branches or subdivisions.
• Medical Ethics is the branch of ethics that deals
with moral issues in medical practice.
 What is a Profession??
• It is an occupation based on a specialised body
of knowledge and skills, entry into which is
restricted to those who prove their competence,
and which is conducted in the interest of those
it serves and of the public generally, and is
subject to self-imposed rules of ethical conduct.
 Professionalism is beyond State of Mind…..
• It is a state of productivity and high performance and trust shown by a
specialist practitioner.
• It explores Seven elements
• 1: Contribution - The effort you make and your perfection of it
• 2: Conviction - The motivation you have whatever your
circumstances rich or poor
• 3: Culture - The sense of how- FIT- you feel at performing role,
function, exploration or profession
• 4. Commitment - The Magnitude/ extend to which you are engaged
with your tasks
• 5. Confidence - The believe you have in yourself and the Job
• 6. Safety and protection - Commitment for Public protection , you and
others co-workers
• 7. Instil trust and portray How Much you worth - Hundreds, A Million or
A Billion ? –
 Your Obligations to your Profession
• Uphold your professional status:

• Take responsibility for your professional acts. You are to practice within the specialties
authorized on your certificates of registration.

• Recognize the competence of others and seek their assistance when required.

• Maintain and improve your knowledge and skills.

• Members shall participate in continuing education programs

• Promote the image and status of the profession.

• Collaborate with other health professionals in the care of patients and the functioning
and improvement of health services.

• Comply with all current National laws for the protection of patients, health care
providers, the general public and the environment.

• Share knowledge with colleagues, students and other health care practitioners
As a Medical Laboratory Scientist, must have
a moral compass and the spectacles of morality

You should be guided by ‘personal conscience’ and must exercise ‘sensitive

professional and moral judgment’.

The pursuit of money is not the only thing that can cause the loss of one’s moral
compass•

True professionalism, implies

a pride in work,
a commitment to quality,
a dedication to the interests of the client, and
a sincere desire to help.•

You must understand personalities, theories of human motivation, and adult

development theories (including moral, intellectual, emotional, relational and
spiritual development and maturity).• Biomedical Scientists must have the capacity
to evaluate different models of personal and leadership styles.
 Fabrication of Data / Results

• A MLS should NEVER not be involved in

Fabrication of Data

• Fabrication, in the context of scientific inquiry

and academic research, refers to the act of
intentionally falsifying research results, such as
reported in a journal article.

• Fabrication is considered a form of scientific

misconduct, and is regarded as highly unethical
 Consequences of fabrication of results
• Fabrication is generally considered the most serious form of scientific
misconduct that a scientist can engage in, and a finding that a scientist
engaged in fabrication will often mean the end to his career as a researcher.

• Given the tight-knit nature of many academic communities, and the high
stakes involved, researchers who are found to have committed fabrication are
often effectively (and permanently) blacklisted from the profession, with
reputable research organizations and universities refusing to hire them.

• Fabricators may also have previously earned academic credentials and

professional registries taken away.

• In 2004, Jan Hendrik Schön was stripped of his doctorate degree by the
University of Konstanz after a committee formed by Bell Labs found him
guilty of fabrication related to research done during his employment the
 The Social Media Aspect
•  Social media has become a primary form of
communication for the millennial generation.
• The Professionals should understand the
potential benefits and harms of using social
media in medical laboratory practice and
relationships within.
 Overview of Medical Laboratory Ethical
Principles in Research
• There are four widely recognized principles in bioethics that apply to both
clinical Laboratories and research ethics:

• 1. respect for persons - entails respecting the decisions of autonomous persons

and protecting persons who lack decision making capacity and therefore are not
autonomous. It also imposes an obligation to treat persons with respect by
maintaining confidences and keeping promises

• 2. beneficence - Beneficence imposes a positive obligation to act in the best

interests of patients or research participants.• the risks of research be minimized
and that the risks be acceptable in light of the potential benefits of research

• 3. justice - requires that people be treated fairly.

 Elements of Ethics
• Duty – this refers to responsibility to do
something or refrain from doing something
• It is effectively a standard of behavior which can
be established by statute or practice in the field
• It is the need to follow standard procedure step
by step in your practice, seeking guidance from
supervisors
• Once a std is established the reasonably prudent
practitioner is expected to perform to that std.
 Breach of duty
• Essential element in finding negligence
• If the person burdened with the duty had
failed to live up to that duty, liability can be
assigned - imcompetence
• Omission – relates to the failure to do
something that should have been done. It is
typically a problem of negligence, but can be
intentional in circumstances
 The fundamental virtues
• Compassion
• Trustworthiness
• Discernment – judging objectively
• Moral integrity
 ETHICS
– Start With Your Professional Oath!!
I pledge as a professional registered by the Medical Laboratory
Science Council of Nigeria to always:
• To put the interest and well being of the patient above my
personal interest and convenience;

• Exercise my professional knowledge and skill with judgement

and care for the benefit of the wider general public and in the
best interest of the users of the service;

• Demonstrate the highest standards of conduct, honesty and

integrity in my personal and professional behaviour;

• Understand, recognise and work within the limits of my

professional knowledge, skills and experience;
• Recognize the beliefs and values of the wider general public, the
users of my service and professional colleagues, treating them on
a fair and equitable basis;

• Ensure the confidentiality of patients information;

• Ensure that my own beliefs and values do not prejudice or

compromise my ability to carry out my professional roles and
duties;

• Maintain, improve and keep to date my professional knowledge

and skills;

• Aid and transport the development of Medical Laboratory Science

by education or training of professional colleagues, the users of the
service and the wider general public;
 Your Professional Oath!! – CONT’D

• Promote the study and activity of Medical Laboratory

Science by promotion of the values, aims and objectives of
the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria;

• Show due respect and gratitude to my teachers, maintain

friendly relations with my colleagues and whenever
possible, endeavour to teach students placed under my care.

• To foster mutual respect and collaboration with other

members of health care team.
 PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
• According to the Federal Government of Nigeria Official
Gazette (Vol. 101, No.99; 10th Oct. 2014) on the Regulation
of Minimum Practice Standard and Rule of Professional
Conduct for Medical Laboratory Scientists, Technicians and
Assistants:

• It States: Every practitioner is expected to conduct and

comport himself in his relationships with the public,
patient and colleagues in a manner that will promote
sound ethical practice failing which he shall be guilty of
infamous conduct in a professional respect.
Obligations to the Public.
Every practitioner shall be dedicated to serving the health needs
of the patient and public by:

• Contributing his share of professional competence to the general wellbeing

of the patient and community.

• Complying with relevant laws and regulations pertaining to the practice of

medical laboratory science.

• To actively seek, within the dictates of their conscience, to change anything

which does not meet with the high standards of care and practice to which
the profession is committed.

• Maintaining a respectful relationship with members of the public to

facilitate awareness and understanding of the profession of medical
laboratory science.
Obligations to the patient/client
Every practitioner shall be held accountable for the quality and integrity
of the laboratory services he provides to the patient/client and this
includes but not limited to:

• Maintaining individual competence in judgment and performance and

striving to safeguard the patient from incompetent or illegal practice by
others.

• Exercise sound judgment in establishing, performing and evaluating

laboratory testing.

• Maintaining strict confidentiality of patient information and test results;

• Respect the dignity, privacy and independence of patients at all times.

 Obligations to colleagues and the Profession.
Every practitioner is expected to uphold the tenets of the Profession and
has respect for his colleagues and shall in doing so:

• Uphold and maintain the dignity and respect of the profession and strife to maintain
a reputation of honesty, integrity and reliability;

• Actively strive to establish cooperative and respectful working relationship with other
health care professionals with the primary objective of ensuring a high standard of
care for the patients he serves;

• Take responsibility for his professional acts;

• Endeavour to maintain and improve his skills and knowledge and keep up to date
with current scientific advances;

• Uphold academic integrity in all matters of professional certification and continuing

education;
 THE CIVIL SERVICE
• An agency of government through which laws,
policies and programmes are implemented.
– Operates strictly on rules and regulations
• Features:
– Impartialilty
– Political neutrality
– Job security
– Bureaucracy
– Use of Rules and Regulations
– Anonymous
 ETHICS IN CIVIL SERVICE
• No lateness to work
• No absenteeism
• Dress politely
• Maintain confidentiality
• No unruly behaviour
• Be disciplined – no insurbodination,
negligence of duty, bribery and corruption etc
• Thank you.
THE 2022/2023 FMCA INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME:

-Modus Operandi-

Dr. Akinwande, Kazeem S.

DDMLS, Chem. Path Dept.,
FMC Abeokuta
 BASIS
• Part of MLS Training Programme

• Pre-requisite for Youth Service by any MLS

• In FMC Abeokuta, Internship programme had

commenced since year 2002!
 CONTENT
• Each intern is expected to attain practical
knowledge of the profession in all the SIX
MAJOR AREAS of MLS Practice.

• This is achieved through rotation of all the

laboratory sections of each department
 MODUS OPERANDI
• The training content, activities , including
distribution on benches, call hour operations,
intra-unit seminar presentation, etc, will be
coordinated by each Laboratory Heads.

• Disciplinary actions will be spelt out.

Implementation of the disciplinary action will
be through the DMLS and the Unit Heads
 MODUS OPERANDI
• Each Intern will commence rotation in their
various specialty spending the first three
months
• Rotation will be on random basis, spending 2
month in each unit, and the very last 2 months
spent in the interns’ specialties.
• The more serious you are, the more you learn
 LEAVE PERIOD
• Each intern is expected to have a month (4
weeks) leave according to the civil service.

• Each will obtain 1 week leave in each specialty

 SEMINAR PRESENTATION
• Each intern is expected to present 5 seminars
during the course of the internship programme.
• Seminar presentation shall be conducted during
posting each specialty, on topics related to the
specialty
• General Seminar presentation will be based on
your projects carried out in your school
 LOG BOOKS
• Will be in custody of the Education committee
all through.
• Will be returned to you towards the end of
each posting for filling.
• At the end of each posting, you will be
assessed by the Competency Assessment
Committee, the basis upon which your log
books will be scored.
 IMPORTANT PLS!!!
• YOU ARE GUIDED BY THE CIVIL SERVICE RULE
DURING YOUR INTERNSHIP
• Represent the profession well:
– In interaction – be civil and courteous with peers
and subordinates, most importantly – the
patients!!!
– Your dressing will be a big issue here!
• Loose hairs, slippers, loose shirts, untidiness, weird
dress sense, revealing dresses will never be tolerated
here!!!
– Always wear your lab coats while in the labs
• Thank you.
• Questions ????