A Cycle of Redemption in a Medical Error Disclosure and Apology Program. (June 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Carmack, Heather J.
• Is Part Of: Qualitative health research. Volume 24:Number 6(2014:Jun.)
• Page Start: 860
• Page End: 869
• Publication Date: 2014-06
• Subjects: communication -- disclosure -- emotions / emotion work -- safety, patient; Health -- Periodicals; Health behavior -- Periodicals; Health -- Research -- Methodology -- Periodicals; Health behavior -- Research -- Methodology -- Periodicals; 610.7205
• DOI: 10.1177/1049732314536285
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1049-7323

Abstract

Physicians accept that they have an ethical responsibility to disclose and apologize for medical errors; however, when physicians make a medical error, they are often not given the opportunity to disclose and apologize for the mistake. In this article, I explore how one hospital negotiated the aftermath of medical mistakes through a disclosure and apology program. Specifically, I used Burke's cycle of redemption to position the hospital's disclosure and apology program as a redemption process and explore how the hospital physicians and administrators worked through the experiences of disclosing and apologizing for medical errors.