My Fellow Telluride Patient Safety Gurus,
What an incredible week! I have been so fortunate to be surrounded by such a brilliant group of people leading change all over the country. You have all inspired me and energized me to go back and promote the mission that we have all set out for ourselves- create a system that is patient first.
Inspired by Rick’s proverbs reminding us all that we are teachers and it is our responsibility to share the knowledge that we have gained to improve our systems, I’ve come up with an idea on how to approach teaching informed consent to our fellow residents.
But how do we teach?…How do we teach hundred of grown adults, physicians, those set in their ways with their own ideologies and beliefs that may or may not contradict yours. How do you teach change?…
Here’s my attempt:
Create an “Informed Consent Checklist.” What if we taught the complex art of informed consent as a systematic way of thinking how you approach the conversation, just like you would the steps of a central line. Gloria highlighted this point nicely- now she has a way to structure the conversation. It truly needs to be a step-wise approach that comes naturally and systematically after being taught the right way to do it.
The video gave a great structure on how to approach the conversation. We could use that as the learning tool to instill the importance and value of approaching the conversation in such a way. We can also add the structure of what needs to be covered- benefits, risk, alternatives, and doing nothing. This way it can be a comprehensive, step by step approach that is repeated time and time again until the “checklist” comes to mind unconsciously.
Let me know your thoughts, reservations, and tips for implementing. I think we can do this!
I want to thank you all again for an eye-opening experience that has re-energized me in the mission for disseminating patient safety efforts and changing our culture as we transform to a system that is truly “patient first.”
Shabs