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13th Newsletter
Dealing with mistakes
Complications. Mistakes. Errors. Setbacks.
You can paint or label these any way you want.
I’m going to focus specifically on complications as a surgeon but these can be extended to any walk of life.
I remember when I suffered my first complication as a surgeon.
Or rather the patient suffered, I should say.
It was a difficult appendicectomy and I had left a small plastic drain (tube) that would drain out any extra infected fluid from the patient’s pelvis.
Unfortunately the patient returned to the hospital a few days after discharge with a small fluid collection in his pelvis that had not drained.He was not very unwell and he was managed with a short course of antibiotics and sent home the same day.
It was not what you would call a “major” complication but it was still something that the patient would not have wanted and took them off their expected surgical course.
I was wracked with guilt and questioned my skills and ability as a surgeon and this transiently impacted my confidence.
I was humbled.
One of my mentors once told me that all surgeons have complications.If a surgeon says they doesn’t have any complications there are two possible explanations; 1) They are lying or 2) They don’t operate enough.
Most complications are not ‘failures’.We even consent patients for complications, although rare, a small percentage of patients will succumb to these unfortunate events.
The same way it is not possible to go through life without a scratch or getting a cold at some point…complications are an inevitable evil you will come to meet at one point or another.
It is how you deal with it that counts.
Is the patient ok? Why did it happen? What can I learn from this episode? How can I ensure I minimize the risk of this happening again?
Do not be afraid to ask for feedback from colleagues; learning from others is a key part of the process of growth.
Do not hide your errors; being transparent ensures patient safety and teaches others as well.
Go back into the fray, using the complication as motivation to do better rather than an unpleasant reminder of your human fallibility.