When bad things happen to good surgeons: reactions to adverse events

Abstract

Adverse events are, unfortunately, common components of surgical practice. Much has been done to develop safer systems to prevent these adverse events; however, there has been less focus on the surgeon experiencing these events. This article presents a framework to understand surgeons' reactions to adverse events that was derived from a more recent study as well as a review of relevant psychology literatures. This framework is then situated within the broader picture of mindful practice to explore how the psychological and social dimensions of the surgeon can affect judgment and cognition.