The power of apology: how saying sorry can leave both patients and nurses feeling better

Saying sorry to a patient can be a difficult part of nursing practice. But a sincere and prompt apology, using appropriate language and tone, can help those involved come to terms with something that has gone wrong. Nurses may be concerned that saying sorry will make litigation morelikely, but the evidence is that patients are less likely to resort to the courts if they feel they have been listened to and have been offered a "proper" apology. A complete apology expresses regret and acknowledges fault or shortcoming. One technique that nurses can use when having to make a difficult apology is to use the three Rs: regret (saying sorry and accepting responsibility); reason (providing a reason for the mistake); and remedy (trying to resolve the mistake as far as possible). Apologies can be of benefit not only to patients and relatives, but also to nurses.