Who’s sorry now
I’ve often touted the virtues of a well-placed apology and now the medical community is apparently finally putting it into practise. Not because of me, of course! But because it’s just the right thing to do.
The National Post has the story this morning of how an “I’m sorry” defuses a potentially legally quagmired situation. A Winnipeg woman was given the wrong medication and instead of covering for each other, the patient got a quick apology and compensation.
One of the big problems with a mistake is when the person who makes it doesn’t take ownership. Sometimes just an acknowledgement is enough. Everybody makes mistakes! If your inner goal is to be perfect, I’m willing to bet that you also don’t let other people off the hook for their errors, and that’s unfortunate because anyone who expects perfection is usually quite disappointed by the imperfection inherent in human beings.
Apparently there’s a movement afoot in the medical community to own up to the thousands of medical mistakes that are made every year.
I had my own issue with a medical problem that happened to also be dental. My “specialist” punctured right through my gum into my sinus as his back was turned to me, while he told a dirty joke to the hygenist he was hitting on. Recovery was ugly and there were lingering issues, but my formal complaint was quashed by his peers. There was no grey area - inattention directly caused the problem! So I understand how just hearing “I’m sorry” can make things feel right.
The other spinoff to a new openness is better understanding for patients, too. Sometimes a sit-down with a medical team proves to a patient that what they think is a doctor error is actually something else. I know a man who had two knees replaced and refused to do any of the recommended exercises to help the knees “adjust.” He still blames the hospital for his limp when his laziness is the real culprit.
August 7th, 2008 at 8:18 am
if doctors and nurses were not made to work 24+ hour shifts and worked 8 hours instead maby there would be far less mistakes every year!
August 13th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
I agree James!
I also blame the public for their first and foremost reaction to wrongs done to them! I will “sue” you rings in the ears of many health professionals! Saying Im sorry, ADMITS liability! I have no problem saying Im sorry to anyone for anything! If I wrong you, you will receive a genuine apology. However, we are becoming a legal liability infested culture and no one opens any doors to that!
If the public can accept an apology and move on, health care professionals might be more willing to say “I’m sorry for my error! “