Louisa Ferrara-Gonzalez

“To err is human” is a popular phrase we hear in healthcare, however, it does not seem to help anyone after an error was made. Admitting that a baby or family was potentially hurt by one of your mistakes is a personally daunting experience, and one that may haunt you for years. In truth, we all have regrets, but how you self-reflect on your mistakes and use them to make conscious improvements to your practice is exactly how we can honor that experience and release any guilt we may feel.

This lecture will be conversational in nature, as the presenter will share some stories of her least successful infant-parent, and inter-professional interactions. Each story will be followed by audience polling on the most striking error (to improve upon awareness skills), as well as a review of the evidence emphasizing the impact of that mistake. Each story will be accompanied by clear steps to avoid future occurrences, improve success at the bedside and release guilty thoughts, though a review of the Self-Reconciliation Theory. This lecture will have a strong focus on neuro-developmental care, family-centered care, trauma-informed care, inter-professional practices, ethics, self-love and forgiveness. Audience members will have an opportunity to share some of their mistakes and seek support from their peers in order to honor their errors and promote self-growth. This lecture can be altered to discuss any area of healthcare as the bulk of the lecture focuses on evidence based strategies to promote positive progress within a team setting.

Attendee Results:

1. Describe the negative effects of errors on occupational stress, emotional wellbeing, and overall quality-of-life for healthcare providers in who work in the NICU
2. Summarize important foundational theories to incorporate into their practice in attempts to improve upon any mistakes (i.e., neurodevelopmental care, family-centered care, trauma-informed care, inter-professional practices, self-reconciliation).
3. List clear, evidence-based strategies to increase awareness and to take responsibility of a mistake, as well as how to take action for improvements at bedside, and find forgiveness with themselves and co-workers.