MeIn recent years, many health professionals face a challenging chapter in institutional history as society grapples broadly with how to deal with institutional trauma of the past. Whether it is a questionable medical experiment. abuse of authority; systemic patterns of neglect, discrimination, or racism; Funders with dubious sources of wealth, many institutions now must consider the past.
Some of these violations are dealt with in court. In other cases, the institution may be asked to provide substantive relief.
Medical education and practice rarely provide adequate preparation for clinicians to deal with such challenges. At the same time, leaders will be challenged if they fail to address these issues. Mistakes in the process can damage reputations, impact staff morale and patient confidence. So how can medical professionals deal with complex legacies?
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A structured ethical framework may offer sensible solutions for addressing the multifaceted nature of public sensibility. The ethics of political commemoration provides a framework, increasingly used in other contexts, to address national and regional challenges to remembrance. Ethics here means, at the very least, seeking agreements that can be maintained. This approach distinguishes between the following issues: somehow Commemorating loss and trauma from consideration how In commemoration.
The criteria were developed in part based on the Just War tradition. Developed over centuries, this ethical framework seeks to constrain the use of force. It emphasizes that action should be directed towards building a better future and encourages mutual respect and self-restraint. One indication of the reach and impact of this tradition, as emphasized by the International Committee of the Red Cross, is the integration of key aspects of the just war tradition into international humanitarian law. This framework is also referenced in the medical literature.
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As a first step in addressing institutional trauma, under the ethics of political memorial Ius ad Memoriam (best translated as “memorial can be justified”), one of the main focuses is on: Purpose Commemorative. For most healthcare organizations, this is to reassure patients, staff and the wider community that the organization is dedicated to doing what is best for their patients. This usually requires an acknowledgment that the suffering occurred as part of an effort to do something different.
The process of addressing historical challenges must be empowered to include a range of voices, from past affected groups to current stakeholders to those involved in the future of the institution. Top-down decision-making is not enough to deal with past trauma. People feel comfortable sharing their stories and contributions, and they need time to reflect.
At the same time, any proposal must have a reasonable chance of success with a commensurate level of effort. Little is gained when suggestions for addressing the past are wiped out at the expense of the care they are currently providing to their communities.
In a second step, Ius in Memoria (best described as “how the memorial should take place”) allows institutions to consider how they deal with institutional trauma.
In medical and other institutions, memorials need to be inclusive and create a greater sense of “us” that does not set or repeat the “us versus them” pattern. To put it plainly, everyone who works in an institution today usually experiences trauma rather than feeling that their memories relate to acts committed by others years or decades ago. You should be able to sympathize with the memory of. Memorials should help the institution function better, not set new distinctions or malfunctions.
Containing the unfathomable is another wise standard of political commemoration ethics that may seem clumsy at first. When it comes to past transgressions, it’s a good idea to give specific dates and places as a way of containing what happened. It is also important to recognize the difficulty of understanding the “continuous absence that follows”, just as we have described the loss of life. For that reason too, it makes sense to classify the number of victims into broad categories such as “tens” or “hundreds.” It is often difficult to determine the exact number of victims. Elaborating on cause and effect is naturally the job of the historian, not for the sake of commemoration.
Many institutions have found art to be central to acknowledging the immenseness of past trauma. is set up in the center of the medical campus to commemorate patients killed by the Nazis here and elsewhere. Art allows multiple interpretations and can speak where words go wrong. Berlinbuch The process of integrating such monuments into institutions and public spaces, as in the case of her clinic, is often part of a public competition and can be an opportunity for collective reflection. I have.
Ultimately, memorials should help individuals assert their own moral autonomy and highlight the role all individuals can and should play in keeping an organization on track. not. That’s why it’s wise to look to those who helped right the wrongs.
Applying this overarching ethical framework to organizational trauma can help organizations grapple with the most difficult chapters of their past. Leaders of larger institutions may have the resources to maintain professional support and fees, but this mentoring framework will allow smaller institutions to take a step towards healing as well. You can. There may not always be consensus, but there can be a structured process of acknowledging and explaining different points of view.
With a prudent and honest approach, institutions can strengthen trust from such calculations. Facilities that are perceived to be taking the right steps in response to past violations are likely to strengthen staff morale, increase patient trust and community support, and ultimately improve financial performance. will also contribute.
Because dealing with past trauma is an urgent concern for society as a whole, medical professionals can help facilities track these issues. And the broader healthcare community may want to highlight examples of how the past has been successfully addressed. helps to enable the transition to
Hans Gutbrod is an associate professor at Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia, and a senior fellow at the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey.
