A junior doctor finishes a long shift and a colleague asks them to cover a short task in a different department in 20 minutes, which would help the team. The junior doctor, feeling very tired, politely declines and explains that they would be unsafe to start another task. How appropriate is this action?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. A very appropriate thing to do
- Step 1: Fatigue affects patient safety, and doctors are expected to recognise their limits. Step 2. Declining with an honest explanation protects patients and the doctor, and the team can find another cover. Answer: A very appropriate thing to do. Why not the others: The rating 'appropriate, though a better response exists' would suggest a better alternative exists, yet explaining the reason is exactly what is expected; the inappropriate ratings misjudge safety.
Practise more Professional behaviour and ethics (set 1).
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