Promoting “just culture” among health professions learners in the clinical environment

Abstract

Medical errors continue to be a problem impeding the delivery of safe patient care in the United States. One well-known reason is the longstanding culture in healthcare of blame, shame, and punishment. One method for addressing this enduring problem is implementing the concept and principles of “just culture.” This article describes ways for promoting “just culture” among health professions learners in the clinical environment. We hope that providing these recommendations will result in the critical task of equipping the next generation of healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to care for patients in safer, more effective healthcare organizations.