LITHUANIA | Emergency | Cultural issues

Different roles and responsibilities of staff working in emergency medical care

Where emergency help is needed, paramedics will arrive once the ambulance has been called. A junior doctor may treat the patient under the doctor’s supervision. The patient may also be examined by a group of medical students. Although the patient’s treatment will be administered by the doctor, nurses will carry out any examinations, e.g. taking blood or urine samples, in accordance with the doctor’s instructions. They will also conduct cardiograms, dress wounds, fill out documents, and perform other tasks required by the patient’s condition.

Cultural or religious issues

Patients must inform medical staff of any relevant religious or cultural beliefs. They must be fully informed about any examination and/or treatment which is necessary and must give written agreement. If a patient’s belief or religion prohibits a particular type of treatment, it will not be carried out, unless doctors decide in consultation that the treatment is necessary in order to save a life.

It is usual in Lithuania for women to be examined by male doctors. Children and adolescents only receive treatment after permission has been given by their parents or caretakers.

Form of address

In Lithuania, it is usual for doctors to address their patients formally, i.e. title and surname only.

For more information on general medical cultural standards, click here.