Patient safety
When harm has been done
When harm has been done
This is how we want to be met.
The patient safety champions in Denmark
Take good care of us when we are patients
Show patients and relatives respect
- Talk to us
- Meet us where we are
- Look us in the eye
- Listen to us, and hear what we are saying
- Respect our experiences - they are genuine
- Include us
See us as genuine partners
- Use our knowledge and experience
- Cooperate with us
1. Carry out damage control immediately
- Take responsibility, also when WE experience that something has gone wrong
- Control the extent of the damage
- Control the long term effects
2. Tell the truth and take responsibility
- Acknowledge that harm has been done
- Explain what has happened
- Offer us an apology
- Offer counselling
- Give us the opportunity to talk to the manager and those who have been directly involved, alone and without interruption
- Follow up when you know more
3. Include us in your root cause analysis
- We see other things than you do, and we participate throughout, therefore:
- Listen to our experience of the incident
- Allow us to comment on the conclusions and recommendations of the analysis
- Use us as team members
4. Prevent the harm from happening to another patient
- Report the incident
- Analyse the incident
- Recommend us to report the incident
- Explain to us what you will do, so it does not happen again