The researcher sought to bring awareness and give a voice to physicians' interpretation of their experiences after being involved in a medical error. This qualitative study includes the lived experiences of seven physicians who experienced a medical error. This study investigated the conflict that contributed to the events surrounding the medical error, and the continued conflict with the stakeholders of the healthcare system. The experiences in their own words were analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). The IPA approach was relevant in allowing the participants to explore and discover personal and individual interpretations of their own lived experiences after a traumatic event. While some studies have shown that second victim physicians go on to practice decades after a medical error occurred, others have shown the departure of physicians from their profession. This study found that some physicians are very motivated to continue working as physicians and are looking for internal support from peers and management in supporting their desire for continued employment after a medical error has occurred. Thus, this study provides deeper understanding of the physicians’ experiences; the intrapersonal and interpersonal conflict after the incident; and offers recommendations based on their perspective on what steps might be taken to mitigate the damaging impacts of the phenomenon.
| Date of Award | Jan 1 2024 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | Robin Cooper (Supervisor), Judith McKay (Advisor) & Robert Campbell (Advisor) |
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