Qualitative Research On The Impact Of Administrative Penalties On Medical Staff In Medical Disputes

Objectives:To describe the perceptions and experiencestrue feelings of the medical staff towards the administrative penalties for medical disputes and its impact on their physical and psychological state, professional behavior, professional development and to provide a theoretical basis for health policy making and hospital management. Methods:Using phenomenological research method through in-depth interview and participant observation to 10 staff in Tai’an hospital, who are involved in medical disputes and get punished from July to December 2013. Interviewees include seven doctors, two nurses, and one pharmacist. Giorgi’s qualitative data analysis is used in the research. Results:Through the analysis of the data, the author gets the following five impacts on the medical staff that might be caused by penalty:1. Physiological effects: most of them suffer from insomnia and weight loss.2. Psychological effects: discontent and mental evasion, grievances and helplessness, mental stress, decreased medical confidence, psychological trauma, sense of guilt and remorse.3. Cognitive impact:(1) Party’s understanding of how the hospitals handle disputes.①Compromise and concessions from the hospital, and fear of medical disputes;②There is no basis for punishment and punishment is unfair;③ The hospital cannot effectively protect the interests of its staff;④ The hospital does not bear due responsibility.(2) Party’s understanding of doctor-patient relationship:①Mutual distrust between both doctors and patients;② Medical staff become vulnerable group.(3) Party’s understanding of the medical industry: Medical industry is a high-risk profession and the risk is inevitable.(4) Party’s understanding of the professional environment:①There is a lack of related laws and medical rules are violated;②The media does not give fair reports of medical disputes;③The government’s constraint of medical disputes is insufficient;④ Medical disputes affect normal medical order;⑤ Medical practice environment restricts medical development.4. Impact on the professional conduct of those involved:(1) Defensive medical practices;(2) Weakened exploring spirits;(3) Weakened working enthusiasm;(4) Active response:To improve individual skills;(5) Personality changes :More tolerant and understanding of others.5. Impact on the future career development of those involve:(1) Affect the reputation of those involved;(2) Affect promotion and career development of those involved. Conclusion:The author found that administrative penalties have tremendous impacts on thoseinvolved: ①physiologically: insomnia and weight loss ②psychologically: discontent and mental evasion, grievances and helplessness, mental stress, decreased medical confidence, psychological trauma, sense of guilt and remorse ③cognitively: how the hospitals handle medical disputes, doctor-patient relationship, medical profession and professional environment ④behaviorally: defensive medical practices, weakened exploring spirits, weakened working enthusiasm, improving individual skills and more tolerance and understanding of others ⑤professional development:reputation,promotion and career development.