Harnessing the power of apology

Authors: Peterson VJ
Publication: VetScript, Volume 23, Issue 2, pp 9-10, Mar 2010
Publisher: New Zealand Veterinary Association

Animal type: Human
Subject Terms: Veterinary profession, Management
Article class: General

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Abstract:

In her article “The power of apology”, published in the New Zealand Medical Journal, Marie Bismark quotes the experience of a United States family whose otherwise healthy 11-year-old son was hospitalised for a seemingly trivial swollen ankle. Eventually surgery was undertaken “to incise and drain the swollen ankle”. By early the next morning, the boy was dead. The article was based on a Humanity in Healthcare Lecture at the Centre for Compassion in Healthcare, Waitakere Hospital, Auckland, given by the author in February 2009. At the time, Ms Bismark was a Senior Associate, Health Law, at Buddle Findlay in Wellington.

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