“I asked [the nurse], 'Can you explain the rationale behind this order?' And she got angry with me. And I didn’t ask any more.”

When you spot a mistake in a patient’s care, the logical thing to do is tell someone. But that’s not always a simple matter. How do you structure your ideas so the listener understands your reasoning? And how do you couch your concerns so she doesn’t get defensive?

In the second conference call sponsored by the IHI Open School for Health Professions, IHI faculty member Dr. Allan Frankel lays out techniques to communicate clearly — and diplomatically — when a patient’s life may be at stake.

Read the transcript

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