Ethics & Medicolegal

ethics

Must-have

Impaired Practitioner: Recognizing, Intervening & Reporting (ABA Ethics)

Anesthesiology professionalism duty — recognize credible impairment concerns, protect patients, and use the applicable reporting pathway.

When a colleague may be impaired or incompetent, protect patients first and activate the applicable institutional and legal reporting pathway; the exact sequence and recipients depend on the immediacy of risk and local requirements.

If you forget

Patient safety first: obtain help and safe coverage when there is an immediate concern.

Board trap

Examiner asks: “Your partner shows signs of impairment right before an emergent case—what do you do?” Correct answer: immediately secure patient safety and appropriate coverage, then notify the responsible institutional pathway; do not delay safety action for loyalty, investigation, or a private confrontation.

Key numbers

64% of physicians agreed that significantly impaired or incompetent colleagues should be reported to a professional society, hospital, clinic, and/or relevant authority (Miller's Ch 84).
Reporting destination: professional society, hospital, clinic, and/or relevant authority, as applicable (Miller's Ch 84).
Fear of retribution can impede reporting (Miller's Ch 84).
Perceived lack of personal responsibility can impede reporting (Miller's Ch 84).

Reviewed Oct 8, 2026 for clinical accuracy by BoardsBridge Editorial Process

Uri Rozen, MD — Licensed Physician, Israel

Source guidelines: Millers Anesthesia 10 Ch84 Occupational Safety Infection Control AND

Re-review cadence: 12 months from reviewed date.

Drill this as a SOE stem →

Related on BoardsBridge

Card ID: impaired-practitioner · Path: aba.ethics.professionalism.impaired-practitioner