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Table 5 Responses’ percentages according to type of uncertainty

From: A typology of uncertainty derived from an analysis of critical incidents in medical residents: A mixed methods study

 

Typology of uncertainty

Total

Responses

Technical

Conceptual

Communicational

Systemic

Ethical

I have not been in that situation.

40 %

32 %

38 %

23 %

47 %

36 %

Strategies

I consulted with senior physicians.

65 %

53 %

53 %

35 %

42 %

49 %

I consulted with my peers or colleagues with a lower academic degree.

7 %

7 %

8 %

8 %

13 %

8 %

I consulted with non-medical personnel

2 %

1 %

2 %

6 %

4 %

3 %

I consulted with a medical committee.

3 %

4 %

3 %

8 %

7 %

5 %

I consulted with the patient or family.

0 %

5 %

2 %

1 %

0 %

2 %

I consulted informational sources (books, internet, etc.).

10 %

6 %

9 %

9 %

11 %

9 %

I followed the clinical guidelines.

5 %

7 %

6 %

13 %

7 %

8 %

I made my decision without consulting anyone.

5 %

7 %

11 %

14 %

9 %

9 %

I delegated the process of the incident.

2 %

3 %

3 %

3 %

4 %

3 %

I requested laboratory and imaging studies.

2 %

1 %

0 %

1 %

2 %

1 %

I followed a different strategy.

1 %

4 %

2 %

3 %

1 %

2 %

  1. *Note: The percentages corresponding with each strategy are relative to the total number of situations the residents report to have experienced (see first row). Therefore, the percentages across rows (omitting the first) within each column sum 100 %