If a fellow intern is not coping, after you privately approach them and discuss concerns, what should you do if they refuse help and patient safety is compromised?

If a fellow intern is not coping, after you privately approach them and discuss concerns, what should you do if they refuse help and patient safety is compromised?

• A. Tell them to seek help from mental health services
• B. Inform senior staff about your concerns
• C. Ignore the situation and hope it improves
• D. Document your conversation with the intern

Answer: (B)

When a fellow intern isn’t coping and patient safety is in jeopardy, the immediate priority is to involve someone with authority who can take appropriate action. After you’ve privately approached them and they refuse help, you can’t manage this alone. Informing senior staff or the supervisor ensures a proper assessment of risk, access to formal support services, and any necessary temporary safety measures or supervision to protect patients and assist the intern. Documenting the conversation is useful for record-keeping and accountability, but it does not replace the need for urgent escalation to leadership who can coordinate care and safety procedures. Telling them to seek help on their own or ignoring the situation would fail to address the immediate risk to patients, and asking them to seek mental health services without system involvement can leave safety gaps.

When a fellow intern isn’t coping and patient safety is in jeopardy, the immediate priority is to involve someone with authority who can take appropriate action. After you’ve privately approached them and they refuse help, you can’t manage this alone. Informing senior staff or the supervisor ensures a proper assessment of risk, access to formal support services, and any necessary temporary safety measures or supervision to protect patients and assist the intern.

Documenting the conversation is useful for record-keeping and accountability, but it does not replace the need for urgent escalation to leadership who can coordinate care and safety procedures. Telling them to seek help on their own or ignoring the situation would fail to address the immediate risk to patients, and asking them to seek mental health services without system involvement can leave safety gaps.