MRTs are fully supported following a patient safety incident
The toll of patient safety incidents
- A patient safety incident can have profound consequences for the MRT as well as the patient1.
- Common reactions reported by professionals involved in incidents include distress, self-doubt, confusion, fear, remorse, guilt, feelings of failure and depression, anger, shame and inadequacy that often persist for longer periods2
- Both poor patient outcomes and higher degrees of perceived personal responsibility seem to amplify emotional distress for carers2
- Litigation and complaints impose an additional burden1
- Following an incident, healthcare professionals have been shown to react by sometimes practicing more defensively or by distancing themselves from the sources of potential incidents (restricting scope of practice)3.
- Defensive practice can lead to a degradation in the quality of care and a system that is more prone to error2
Importance of support for MRTs
- A just and trusting culture, including management support for disclosure and incident reporting, helps provide reassurance that incidents are being handled in the appropriate way.
- Talking and listening to colleagues, including professional reaffirmation and reassurance, is important in dealing with and being able to learn from incidents1.
- Studies have shown that healthcare professionals benefit from the opportunity to discuss patient safety incidents with their peers in both formal and informal settings1
- Concerns about professional credibility and job security may be addressed in this way
- The process of disclosure has been shown to help the healthcare professional recover from the experiences of a patient safety incident.4
- Immediate practical support for MRTs could include education on disclosure of safety incidents, liability and/or associated legislation1.
- In cases where the outcome of the incident is severe, or if the MRT requires assistance (e.g., death of a patient), employee assistance programs or formal psychological counseling are encouraged1.
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PATIENT SAFETY TOPIC GUIDELINE General Safety Infection control Core Maintenance of CPR certification Core Administration…
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All patient safety incidents are systematically reported using the appropriate channels
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References
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Vincent C. Understanding and responding to adverse events. N Engl J Med. 2003;348(11):1051-1056.
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Schwappach DLB, Bolluarte DA. The emotional impact of medical error involvement on physicians: a call for leadership and organisational accountability. Swiss Med Wkly 2009;139(1-2):9-15.
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Hofeldt RL. Impact of Adverse Events on Health Care Providers. Presentation. Available from: http://www.mnpatientsafety.org/files/confpdfs/hofeldt-ronald.pdf. [Accessed 4 Apr 2012]
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Canadian Patient Safety Institute, Canadian Disclosure Guidelines: Being open with patients and families 2011: Available from: http://www.patientsafetyinstitute.ca/en/toolsResources/disclosure/Documents/CPSI%20Canadian%20Disclosure%20Guidelines.pdf#search=Canadian%20Disclosure%20Guidelines%3A%20Being%20open%20with%20patients%20and%20families. [Accessed 29 Nov 2018]