- Don’t prescribe without examining the patient, even if he is a close friend or relative.
- Never examine a female patient without the presence of a female nurse/ attendant.
- Don’t insist on the patient to tell the history of illness or be examined in the presence of others.
- Do not permit considerations of religion, nationality, race, party, politics or social standing to intervene between you and your patient.
- Don’t smoke while examining a patient.
- Don’t examine a patient when you are sick, exhausted, or under the influence of alcohol or any intoxicated substance.
- Don’t be overconfident. Don’t look overconfident.
- Don’t’ prescribe a drug or indulge in a procedure if you cannot justify its indication.
- Don’t prescribe/ administer a drug that is banned.
- Don’t over-prescribe too much of the drug, too large a dose, for too long.
- Don’t under-prescribe: not prescribing the needed drug, dose is too small, length of treatment is too short.
- Don’t prescribe multiple drugs of same genre.
- Don’t write instructions on a separate slip. Don’t allow substitutions.
- Don’t adopt experimental method in treatment. If there is some rationale do it only after informed consent.
- Don’t do anything beyond your level of competence.
- When you are not sure what and why to do. Consult your senior/ specialist/ colleague.
- Don’t refuse if the patient/ attendants want to leave against medical advice. It is their right. Document this properly.
- Never avoid a call for help from a nurse on duty at night.
- Never order an investigation unless the result is likely to help you direct the treatment.
- Don’t allow modern diagnostics tests to substitute your clinical judgment.
- Always analyse the cost-benefit ratio before rushing to get these tests done.
- In case a particular test had high false positive or false negative results, explain this to the patient before getting it done.
- Never label any condition as “functional” until you are as certain as possible of the accuracy.
- Don’t hesitate to extend your condolences and sympathies to the bereaved persons.
- Don’t issue death certificates unless you have yourself verified it.
- Don’t divulge secrets you come to know during discharge of your professional duties.
- Don’t deny medical care to a patient with HIV infection/ AIDS. Observe all necessary precautions.
- Don’t give untrue, misleading or improper reports, documents, etc.
- Don’t inform that the person is infected with HIV unless confirmatory test results are received.
- Don’t refuse the patient’s right to examine and receive an explanation about your bill regardless of the source of payment.
- Don’t refuse the patient’s right to know about the hospital rules and regulations.
- Never talk loose of your colleagues, despite intense professional rivalry.