Navigating Informed Consent and Patient Safety in Surgery: Lessons for Medical Students and Junior Trainees

Navigating Informed Consent and Patient Safety in Surgery: Lessons for Medical Students and Junior Trainees
August A. Culbert, Alejandro Bribriesco, Michael S. O’Connor, Eric Kodish
The Journal of Clinical Ethics, Fall 2023; 34(4)
Abstract
In the operating room, patient safety is of paramount importance. Medical students and junior trainees, despite their primary role as students, may play active roles in assessing patient safety and reporting suspected errors. Active consent is one layer of patient safety that is continuously assessed by several team members. This article examines an instance where patient consent may have been violated. Through the lens of trainee and senior perspectives, we discuss the ethical principles at stake and provide recommendations for medical student and junior trainee involvement in patient care when an error is suspected.