Abstract
Staff and students working in health care settings are sometimes reluctant to speak up when they perceive patients to be at risk for harm. In this article, we describe four incidents that occurred at our institution (Mayo Clinic). In two of them, health care professionals failed to speak up, which resulted in harm; in the other two, they did speak up, which prevented harm and improved patient care. We analyzed each scenario using the Physician's Charter on Medical Professionalism and prima facie ethics principles to determine whether principles were violated or upheld. We conclude that anyone who works in a health care setting has a duty to speak up when a patient faces harm. We also provide guidance for health care institutions on promoting a culture in which speaking up is encouraged and integrated into routine practice.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 40-43 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Unknown Journal |
| Volume | 96 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2013 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine(all)
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Duty to speak up in the health care setting a professionalism and ethics analysis. / Topazian, Rachel J.; Hook, C. Christopher; Mueller, Paul.
In: Unknown Journal, Vol. 96, No. 11, 01.01.2013, p. 40-43.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Duty to speak up in the health care setting a professionalism and ethics analysis.
AU - Topazian, Rachel J.
AU - Hook, C. Christopher
AU - Mueller, Paul
PY - 2013/1/1
Y1 - 2013/1/1
N2 - Staff and students working in health care settings are sometimes reluctant to speak up when they perceive patients to be at risk for harm. In this article, we describe four incidents that occurred at our institution (Mayo Clinic). In two of them, health care professionals failed to speak up, which resulted in harm; in the other two, they did speak up, which prevented harm and improved patient care. We analyzed each scenario using the Physician's Charter on Medical Professionalism and prima facie ethics principles to determine whether principles were violated or upheld. We conclude that anyone who works in a health care setting has a duty to speak up when a patient faces harm. We also provide guidance for health care institutions on promoting a culture in which speaking up is encouraged and integrated into routine practice.
AB - Staff and students working in health care settings are sometimes reluctant to speak up when they perceive patients to be at risk for harm. In this article, we describe four incidents that occurred at our institution (Mayo Clinic). In two of them, health care professionals failed to speak up, which resulted in harm; in the other two, they did speak up, which prevented harm and improved patient care. We analyzed each scenario using the Physician's Charter on Medical Professionalism and prima facie ethics principles to determine whether principles were violated or upheld. We conclude that anyone who works in a health care setting has a duty to speak up when a patient faces harm. We also provide guidance for health care institutions on promoting a culture in which speaking up is encouraged and integrated into routine practice.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84897019329&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 24428018
AN - SCOPUS:84897019329
VL - 96
SP - 40
EP - 43
JO - American Journal of Physiology - Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology
JF - American Journal of Physiology - Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology
SN - 1931-857X
IS - 11
ER -