Guidelines and Tips for Disclosure and Apology Conversations
Learning Objectives
Identify circumstances following airway or intubation‑related adverse events that require timely disclosure to patients and families
Explain key principles of effective disclosure and apology conversations after high‑risk clinical events, including airway complications
Apply structured preparation strategies to plan and conduct disclosure conversations following intubation errors or unexpected airway outcomes
Analyze patient and family responses during disclosure conversations to adapt communication and support needs appropriately after airway events
Evaluate follow‑up, documentation, and team debriefing practices to promote learning, trust repair, and improved airway safety
Author(s)
Elaine Meyer, PhD, RN
Director, Institute for Professionalism & Ethical Practice (IPEP) Director, Program to Enhance Relational and Communication Skills (PERCS) Staff Psychologist, Medical/Surgical Intensive Care Unit
Associate Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, | Harvard Medical School
Elaine Meyer, PhD, RN, MBE
Associate Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry | Harvard Medical School
Director, Institute for Professionalism & Ethical Practice (IPEP) | Boston Children's Hospital
Director, Program to Enhance Relational and Communication Skills (PERCS) | Boston Children's Hospital
Staff Psychologist, Medical/Surgical Intensive Care Unit | Boston Children's Hospital
Donna Luff, PhD
Director, Training & Performance; Associate Program Director, Harvard Pediatric Health Service/Research Fellowship;
Director of Educational Innovation & Scholarship, Professional Development in Education | Boston Children's Hospital
Robert Truog, MD, MA
Director Emeritus | Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics
Frances Glessner Lee Distinguished Professor of Medical Ethics, Anaesthesia, and Pediatrics, Department of Global Health and Social Medicine | Harvard Medical School
Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine | Boston Children's Hospital
Citation
Meyer EC, Luff D, Truog RD. Guidelines and Tips for Disclosure and Apology Conversations. 10/2016. Online Video. OPENPediatrics. https://learn.openpediatrics.org/learn/course/internal/view/elearning/3169/guidelines-and-tips-for-disclosure-and-apology-conversations.