Professional, Ethical, and Legal Aspects of Error Disclosure

What are the pros and cons of full and immediate disclosure of errors? When should "near misses" be reported? Error disclosure can be an important-and sometimes complex-issue for those working in health care settings.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review the various cases and vignettes throughout the Foundations in Patient Safety for Health Professionals textbook and/or conduct research using the Walden library and credible Web sites to locate at least one example of how a health care organization has addressed a situation involving error disclosure.

What are the most effective practices for error disclosure? Evaluate the recommendations presented in the Learning Resources.

What responsibilities do individuals working in health care have in this arena? What legal considerations and ethical codes guide professional practice? Review this week's Learning Resources, and locate and read the code of ethics associated with your current or future profession.

Post by Day 4 a response to the following:

Briefly analyze a situation involving error disclosure. Provide one or more recommendations of effective practices for disclosing errors that may be applicable to this case.

Describe your current and future legal, ethical, and professional responsibilities with regard to the disclosure of errors. How do you see yourself working with others in this regard? What questions or concerns do you have?