Table 1

Scenario

Best case scenario	Worst case scenario
Mr C is admitted to the hospital to receive an intravenous treatment. He receives the treatment in his room. Unfortunately Mr C does not tolerate the treatment well: he starts sweating and feels nauseous. He calls the nurse who arrives quickly. Noting the state of the patient, the nurse stops the intravenous line immediately and quickly informs the doctor who realises that Mr C received an overdose of the drug by mistake. The patient is immediately transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) to be watched closely and to receive treatment to remove the drug. The doctor takes time to explain the situation to Mr C.He admits that an error was made and apologises to the patient. He also tells him that the hospital will take all necessary measures to ensure that such an incident does not occur again. Mr C’s stay in the ICU is uneventful. He leaves the ICU after 2 days, resumes his initial treatment as planned,and leaves the hospital without further health problems.	Mr C is admitted to the hospital to receive an intravenous treatment. He receives the treatment in his room. Unfortunately Mr C does not tolerate the treatment well: he starts sweating and feels nauseous. He calls the nurse but nobody answers. He has to call several times before a nurse arrives. The nurse who comes is filling in for a colleague and does not know the treatment in progress. She spends time searching through the patient’s file. The patient insists and she rings the doctor on call who also arrives late. Noting the state of the patient, the doctor then realises that Mr C received an overdose of the drug by mistake. Only several hours after his initial faintness is Mr C transferred to the ICU to be watched closely and to receive a treatment to remove the drug. Neither the doctor nor the nurse mention the error made to Mr C. The implication is that this was an unforeseeable complication. However, Mr C’s kidneys were seriously damaged in spite of the treatment given in the ICU. Furthermore, he now cannot be treated as initially planned. He will have to be treated with a less effective drug.

Best case scenario

Worst case scenario

Mr C is admitted to the hospital to receive an intravenous treatment. He receives the treatment in his room. Unfortunately Mr C does not tolerate the treatment well: he starts sweating and feels nauseous. He calls the nurse who arrives quickly. Noting the state of the patient, the nurse stops the intravenous line immediately and quickly informs the doctor who realises that Mr C received an overdose of the drug by mistake. The patient is immediately transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) to be watched closely and to receive treatment to remove the drug. The doctor takes time to explain the situation to Mr C.He admits that an error was made and apologises to the patient. He also tells him that the hospital will take all necessary measures to ensure that such an incident does not occur again. Mr C’s stay in the ICU is uneventful. He leaves the ICU after 2 days, resumes his initial treatment as planned,and leaves the hospital without further health problems.

Mr C is admitted to the hospital to receive an intravenous treatment. He receives the treatment in his room. Unfortunately Mr C does not tolerate the treatment well: he starts sweating and feels nauseous. He calls the nurse but nobody answers. He has to call several times before a nurse arrives. The nurse who comes is filling in for a colleague and does not know the treatment in progress. She spends time searching through the patient’s file. The patient insists and she rings the doctor on call who also arrives late. Noting the state of the patient, the doctor then realises that Mr C received an overdose of the drug by mistake. Only several hours after his initial faintness is Mr C transferred to the ICU to be watched closely and to receive a treatment to remove the drug. Neither the doctor nor the nurse mention the error made to Mr C. The implication is that this was an unforeseeable complication. However, Mr C’s kidneys were seriously damaged in spite of the treatment given in the ICU. Furthermore, he now cannot be treated as initially planned. He will have to be treated with a less effective drug.