Addressing impairment in a colleague.
It is an anguishing experience for a professional community to deal with a colleague's impairment. This column is the outgrowth of a recent workshop in a multidisciplinary psychoanalytic center focused on the ethical, technical, and humane dimensions of that situation. A hypothetical case history was used to stimulate discussion of issues related to clinical evidence of impairment, protection of patients/clients, the role of aging in observers as well as the observed, denial and wishful thinking that may delay intervention, how to intervene, and duties imposed by the various health professional licensing boards. The discussion also focused on the effects of impairment and intervention on confidential psychotherapeutic relationships and process as well as on personal friendships, monitoring colleagues dealing with impairments, and the resources for response within the professional community such as assistance and ethics committees. (Journal of Psychiatric Practice 2011;17:53-56).
Department of Psychiatry, faculty of the Cleveland Psychoanalytic Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Norman A
NA
Clemens
Marc
M
Horwitz
Janet
J
Sharp
D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D003717:Denial, Psychological; D005221:Fatigue / Q000150:complications; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D011363:Professional Impairment / Q000523:psychology*; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000941:ethics