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"…nobody ever talked about it again" - Residents perceptions on failure to rescue
Marise S Kamber1, Adisa Poljo1,2, Meret Appel1,2
1University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Medical Teacher
|July 22, 2026
Summary
Failure to Rescue (FTR) events significantly impact residents, causing emotional distress. Supportive supervision and institutional culture are crucial for resident recovery and learning from these critical incidents.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Patient Safety
- Qualitative Research
Background:
- Failure to Rescue (FTR) is a critical indicator of care quality, defined as patient death after a complication despite intervention opportunities.
- Residents are uniquely vulnerable during FTR events due to their frontline role and training within hierarchical medical systems.
- The impact of FTR events on residents' emotional well-being and professional development remains underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine residents' emotional responses to FTR events.
- To identify coping strategies employed by residents following FTR.
- To investigate the influence of supervisory behavior and institutional culture on resident recovery and learning from FTR.
Main Methods:
- A qualitative interview study was conducted using constructivist grounded theory (CGT).
- Semi-structured interviews were performed with 15 residents from Swiss hospitals (Oct 2022-May 2023).
- Iterative data analysis involved constant comparison, memo writing, and reflexive team discussions.
Main Results:
- Four themes emerged: temporal emotional responses (shock to rumination), coping strategies (vigilance, peer support), supervisory impact (guidance vs. silence), and institutional error culture.
- Residents experienced self-doubt and hypervigilance, with outcomes ranging from learning to distress based on support.
- Supportive leadership, debriefing, and psychological support facilitated recovery; blame and silence exacerbated distress.
Conclusions:
- FTR events have significant emotional and professional consequences for residents.
- Supportive supervision and a positive institutional culture are vital for resident resilience and learning.
- Effective coping with FTR is a shared responsibility within healthcare teams and organizations.
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