Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 4, 2026

Setup and Execution Of the Blindfolded Code Training Exercise
05:25

Setup and Execution Of the Blindfolded Code Training Exercise

Published on: March 29, 2019

9.9K

Taking one for the team: a reiteration on the role of self-blame after medical error

Daniel W Tigard1

  • 1Human Technology Center, Applied Ethics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany daniel.tigard@rwth-aachen.de.

Journal of Medical Ethics
|October 31, 2019
PubMed

Insights

This response clarifies the role of self-blame after medical errors, addressing critiques that misunderstood the author's position on individual responsibility and blame in team-based medical settings.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Ethics
  • Patient Safety
  • Psychology of Healthcare Professionals

Background:

  • Critiques have challenged the author's work on 'taking the blame' following medical errors.
  • The concept of medicine as a 'team sport' has been raised, highlighting potential harms of practitioner self-blame.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clarify the author's original position on individual responsibility and blame after medical errors.
  • To reiterate the nuanced role of self-blame in the context of medical error response.

Main Methods:

  • Critical analysis of existing literature on medical error and blame.
  • Philosophical argumentation and clarification of the author's previous work.

Main Results:

  • Critics appear to have misunderstood the intended audience and scope of the author's arguments.
  • The author's account emphasizes specific conditions under which self-blame may or may not be appropriate.

Conclusions:

  • Clarification of the author's stance on individual responsibility in medical error is necessary.
  • A more precise understanding of self-blame's role can improve responses to medical errors and support healthcare professionals.
Keywords:
applied and professional ethicsethicsmalpracticemedical errormoral psychology

More Related Videos

Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care14:32

Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care

Published on: February 16, 2011

24.3K
Errors as a Means of Reducing Impulsive Food Choice07:07

Errors as a Means of Reducing Impulsive Food Choice

Published on: June 5, 2016

9.1K

Related Concept Videos

Beck's Cognitive Therapy01:25

Beck's Cognitive Therapy

Cognitive therapy is a psychological approach designed to address distortions in thinking, which can lead to negative emotions and unrealistic beliefs. These cognitive distortions often influence how individuals interpret and respond to situations, exacerbating emotional distress. Below are some prevalent cognitive distortions, their characteristics, and examples of how they manifest in thought processes.
Arbitrary Inference
Arbitrary inference involves making conclusions without sufficient...
295
Self-Serving Bias01:29

Self-Serving Bias

Self-serving bias is a cognitive phenomenon in which individuals attribute positive outcomes to internal factors such as their abilities, intelligence, or effort while attributing negative outcomes to external circumstances. This cognitive distortion helps maintain self-esteem but can also impede objective self-assessment.Theoretical Explanations of Self-Serving BiasTwo primary theories explain the self-serving bias: the cognitive explanation and the motivational explanation.The cognitive...
175
Errors occurring during blood pressure monitoring01:25

Errors occurring during blood pressure monitoring

Blood pressure monitoring is a crucial clinical procedure in diagnosing and managing various cardiovascular conditions. Despite its significance, the accuracy of blood pressure measurements can be compromised by multiple factors, potentially leading to either falsely high or low readings. These inaccuracies are critical as they can significantly impact patient care. So, it is vital to understand these challenges deeply and adopt strategic approaches to minimize errors.
Several factors...
1.3K
Fundamental Attribution Error01:14

Fundamental Attribution Error

According to some social psychologists, people tend to overemphasize internal factors as explanations—or attributions—for the behavior of other people. They tend to assume that the behavior of another person is a trait of that person, and to underestimate the power of the situation on the behavior of others. They tend to fail to recognize when the behavior of another is due to situational variables, and thus to the person’s state. This erroneous assumption is...
13.6K
Impression Management Techniques III: Aligning Actions01:29

Impression Management Techniques III: Aligning Actions

Aligning actions are communicative strategies individuals employ to maintain social harmony and preserve personal identity in the face of potential disruptions to social norms. These actions are particularly important in managing social impressions when one's behavior might be seen as inappropriate, incompetent, or morally questionable.Types of Aligning ActionsThe three principal types of aligning actions are disclaimers, accounts, and apologies.DisclaimersDisclaimers are preventive; they are...
114
Ethical Dilemmas II01:30

Ethical Dilemmas II

Resolving an ethical dilemma in healthcare involves a systematic approach that considers every aspect of the issue, respecting both the patient's needs and values and the healthcare professional's ethical obligations. Here are potential steps to resolve an ethical dilemma:
2.2K