Informed Consent and Transparency
So much has been covered in the last three days at The Marseille Research Experience #TPSER9 that I hardly know where to begin…I have thoughts on communication, patient safety, interdisciplinary interactions, and transparency with my patients and coworkers…I think as I process through all of these I will create multiple posts. For now I would like to focus on transparency in care.
In thinking about informed consent and transparency in medical and nursing care, I wonder what that looks like on a daily level, particularly on the floor. Obviously there needs to be informed consent for major surgical procedures and tests. I feel most people understand that. But what about the daily things? Starting a new antibiotic, initiating an indwelling foley catheter, starting an IV…each of these have risks associated with them. The antibiotic could cause some GI upset or increase risk of C. diff., the catheter will increase chances… Continue reading
The best advocate
By John Joseph, MS2 Wayne State School of Medicine
We completed the first day of the Marseille Patient Safety Summer Camp and I can say already that I am so glad I took the time to make the trip out. Marseille is a beautiful place and the enthusiasm and passion of the participants and leaders has reignited my interest. The lesson that stood out the most to me today was the video put together by Drs. Mayer and McDonald on the heartbreaking case of Lewis Blackman. His mother, Helen Haskell, fought tremendously for Lewis while he was in the hospital (and she continues to fight the system that killed him to this day) after a routine surgery. She trusted her instincts that something was wrong and repeatedly pushed for more senior physicians to examine Lewis, over and over and over. I was shocked that despite her insistence, that her requests… Continue reading