Dealing with the emotional response to errors
Errors can be devastating for all involved, evoking feelings of guilt, self-blame and anxiety among staff. Learning how to cope with these emotions is essential in rebuilding self-esteem and confidence, says former nursing director Caroline Shuldham
It’s a heart-sinking feeling when you realise an error has been made, either by yourself or a colleague.
Sometimes it is immediately apparent that a patient has been harmed, other times there is no injury or a problem only becomes obvious later on.
Duty of candour
When an error occurs, there are processes to follow, including remedial actions to treat the patient, a duty of candour to the patient and/or relatives, investigation and root cause analysis, and improvements in practice to prevent further
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