SJT errors

why should you stay away from work if you have been sick in the past 48 hours?

• you may not know what has made you sick

• you may be infectious

what is the problem with false reassurance?

• very inappropriate

• may be dishonest

• gives false hope

what is the most helpful thing to do if a patient asks you for help?

do:

• try to suggest the next step/thenext best course of action

don’t:

• say “there’s nothing I can do.” - this is conclusive and unhelpful

true or false: sacrifices must be made to ensure patient safety.

true - beneficence: doing good, e.g. missing out on a meeting with a friend and staying an extra hour to ensure patients are safe until a colleague can take over

when should you raise to a higher power?

• if the situation cannot be solved locally and directly

• if patient safetly/confidentiality or data handling is compromised

• do not escalate too early

what are the limitations of being a medical student?

• you do not have the authority or knowledge to deliver information about a patient’s prognosis, e.g. the results of a scan (only the clinician in charge of their care can do this)

• you should not have to ‘break the bad news’

• you should not treat or give advice to patients unless supervised by a qualified doctor

• you cannot be involved in a patient’s care without their consent

true or false: med students should always identify themselves as students

true - patients may not be able to distinguish between students and qualified doctors

true or false: you can send someone else to report an incident for you

false - always try to report incidents yourself, report as promptly as possible and report to someone directly involved

what is the risk with challenging a senior colleague

unpleasant confrontations could create tensions and put strains on professional relationships

results from a scan must be…

shared with the patient first and they should give permission for these results to be shared

when should patient confidentiality be broken?

• when a specified third party is at risk of serious harm or death.

• you should always ask for consent before breaking confidentiality and if the patient refuses, you should inform them that you still have to break confidentiality.

why should med students be careful about what they upload online?

• BMA guidelines: med students should consider whether the content they upload onto the internet could compromise public confidence in the medical profession.

• even if you control who views your page, people can still screenshot and reproduce posts.

why can doctors not treat someone they know?

prevents embarrassment on the patient’s behalf

can i ask to leave my work placement early?

no, it may seem unprofessional and may indicate a lack of interest

med students have ____ training

BLS - Basic Life Support

what could affect the quality of care a doctor delivers?

tiredness, stress or burnout; you may make bad decisions that compromise patient safety

what should you do if your colleague is stressed?

• try to speak to them

• advise them to seek help

• bring in HR

  • when taking action, do so respectfully