Best of Grey's Anatomy: Sneaky Autopsy
Sneakiness abounds in Seattle Grace Hospital. Sneaky trysts in the supply closets, sneaky revelations about personal lives, sneaky procedures involving cutting LVAD wires to save the life of the boyfriend/patient...where does it stop? A while ago, there was a sneaky autopsy, too.
In the last episode of the first series, "Who's Zoomin' Who?", Meredith and Cristina perform an autopsy on the sly, on a patient whose family has flatly refused to consent to the procedure. Legally, of course, this is wrong. An autopsy (unless there are medicolegal implications) always requires the written consent of the next-of-kin of the deceased. Not only do the interns not have the required consent, but the family has expressly forbidden the procedure.
Autopsies are never performed on the whim of doctors to satisfy their intellectual curiosity, even if justified (in this case the docs discover a genetic disease in the family). And performing an autopsy without permission is the same as operating without permission -- grounds not only for dismissal, but also for revocation of a doctor's license to practice.
Ethically, it's also wrong, although the writers want us to decide whether the end justifies the means, giving us potentially life-saving information for the deceased's relatives. Granted, Meredith and Cristina obtained valuable information, but, morally, most people wouldn't be very pleased about wayward interns experimenting clandestinely on the body of a loved one.
Finally, logistically, this would be almost, if not absolutely, impossible to carry off. An autopsy is a medical procedure that isn't a one- (or two-) woman procedure; it is generally performed with the aid of technicians and personnel who help with preparation and processing of the body along with other tasks. It's also highly unlikely that two interns, even as bright as Meredith and Cristina are, could even interpret the autopsy findings without an experienced pathologist as guide.
Giving them the benefit of the doubt and assuming they could manage to perform a secret autopsy, it would be even harder to cover up, afterwards, the evidence of their having done so. Covering their tracks would require thorough washing of the autopsy suite, removal and disposal of contaminated materials, sterilization of contaminated instruments, and covering any and all traces of after-hours activity in the autopsy suite. The personnel at the funeral home would also undoubtedly notice that the body exhibited incisions from the non-permitted procedure, too.
So the autopsy scene, while dramatic, gets a "no" vote on the realism scale. And the hospital's official reaction? Thumbs down here, too. Such an action is grounds for dismissal from the residency program and revocation of medical licenses, and not even the fact that they're both sleeping with senior members of the department would be able to buy them some slack in this situation, were they in a real hopsital.
Related Topics: Grief & Loss Support Group
Technorati Tags: Grey's Anatomy, autopsy, pathologist
In the last episode of the first series, "Who's Zoomin' Who?", Meredith and Cristina perform an autopsy on the sly, on a patient whose family has flatly refused to consent to the procedure. Legally, of course, this is wrong. An autopsy (unless there are medicolegal implications) always requires the written consent of the next-of-kin of the deceased. Not only do the interns not have the required consent, but the family has expressly forbidden the procedure.
Autopsies are never performed on the whim of doctors to satisfy their intellectual curiosity, even if justified (in this case the docs discover a genetic disease in the family). And performing an autopsy without permission is the same as operating without permission -- grounds not only for dismissal, but also for revocation of a doctor's license to practice.
Ethically, it's also wrong, although the writers want us to decide whether the end justifies the means, giving us potentially life-saving information for the deceased's relatives. Granted, Meredith and Cristina obtained valuable information, but, morally, most people wouldn't be very pleased about wayward interns experimenting clandestinely on the body of a loved one.
Finally, logistically, this would be almost, if not absolutely, impossible to carry off. An autopsy is a medical procedure that isn't a one- (or two-) woman procedure; it is generally performed with the aid of technicians and personnel who help with preparation and processing of the body along with other tasks. It's also highly unlikely that two interns, even as bright as Meredith and Cristina are, could even interpret the autopsy findings without an experienced pathologist as guide.
Giving them the benefit of the doubt and assuming they could manage to perform a secret autopsy, it would be even harder to cover up, afterwards, the evidence of their having done so. Covering their tracks would require thorough washing of the autopsy suite, removal and disposal of contaminated materials, sterilization of contaminated instruments, and covering any and all traces of after-hours activity in the autopsy suite. The personnel at the funeral home would also undoubtedly notice that the body exhibited incisions from the non-permitted procedure, too.
So the autopsy scene, while dramatic, gets a "no" vote on the realism scale. And the hospital's official reaction? Thumbs down here, too. Such an action is grounds for dismissal from the residency program and revocation of medical licenses, and not even the fact that they're both sleeping with senior members of the department would be able to buy them some slack in this situation, were they in a real hopsital.
Related Topics: Grief & Loss Support Group
Technorati Tags: Grey's Anatomy, autopsy, pathologist
7 Comments:
It wasn't Meredith and Christina, it was Izzy and Christina. Just fyi. ;) (So both the interns in the episode weren't dating attendings, only one was.)
I'm so glad you addressed this-- when I saw this episode I was in total disbelief. I'm not a doctor, but the idea that two interns would perform an autospy *illegally* was just way to far over the line for me to swallow.
I'm glad you addressed this, also. I'm an RN in an emergency department, and although I absolutely love this show, many of the things they do are unreal (i.e. the autopsy). They should have been released immediately regardless of the findings.
Sorry, Jennifer. Izzy and Christina. My error.
M.Stoppler
I don't expect realism from these shows and don't think the doctors are particularly hot since they're pure fantasy. My own doctors, internists & surgeons alike, are pretty darn hot - and not just because of physical good looks but also because they're intelligent and have great personalities.
I completely agree with this original post. I am happy to hear a voice of sanity amidst the absurdity of what passes for "entertainment" in the 21st century. As someone involved in medicine I thought it would be interesting to pass the time watching "ER" then "House" and now "Grey's Anatomy" but I quickly gave up as these shows degenerated into a mere glorification of complete disregard for life and for patients' rights, complete disrespect for patients and their families, bad attitudes, lack of self-respect and lack of respect for others including sex partners, who is having sex with whom is the primary focus, peppered with lack of faithfulness and lack of commitment on the part of everyone who frequently operate with no integrity or ethics. What a sad even deplorable state of "affairs" when society has disintergrated to a level that people do not even recognize what ethics and integrity and morality are, in addition to their dismissive attitude about its necessity in day-to-day living. It is especially sad when people disdain "realism" with high standards of morality, ethics and integrity in favor of "fantasy" that upholds none of those mighty standards. The fall of social mores - and the perpetuating of the same - is simply one more step that brings our great nation closer to loss of greatness, power and authority. It is unsettling that people do not wish to see or accept the vital link between what the media spews forth and the powerful affect it has on society and on how each one of us lives our lives and how that affects each person we interact with on a daily basis. Happily I have given away my TV and am spending my time much more productively in filling my mind with knowledge that will actually benefit others.
It's a tv show....it's supposed to be entertaining and that's all!
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