Teaching error disclosure to residents: a curricular innovation and pilot study.

Abstract Objective To compare change in obstetrics and gynecology residents' self-efficacy in disclosing medical errors after a formal educational session. Methods This was a retrospective postintervention survey to assess change in perceived preparedness to disclose medical errors. We used a 4-hour educational seminar that included a didactic component (30 minutes) and experiential learning with a trained facilitator (3 hours). Change in self-efficacy was measured using a 5-point Likert-type scale (1 is lowest, and 5 is highest) and was compared using sign test (α  =  .05). Results In our pilot study, 13 of 15 residents reported having previously participated in error disclosure. After the session, residents considered themselves more prepared for the following: to know what to include in and how to introduce error discussions, to deal with a patient's emotional reaction, to respond to a patient's questions regarding how an error occurred, and to recognize one's own emotions when discussing medical error...