Medical errors are common and often lead to feelings of self-doubt, helplessness, and guilt. Society thinks of physicians as healers, and physicians who see their role as offering a cure will always feel as if they haven't done enough. This article discusses five steps in the management of medical and surgical error: (1) care for the patient and family, (2) report to appropriate sources, (3) review the incident, (4) manage legal issues, and (5) engage in self-care. There is a focus on managing grief, with tips for coping.
Keywords: Coping; disclosure; grief; malpractice; medical error; reporting; self-care.
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