Terry J S, Fricchione G L
Pharos Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Med Soc. 1985 Fall;48(4):13-8.
The four stories presented above deal with several ways physicians respond to the experience of limitation, failure, and loss. They may seek solace in the mistakes of others, or cultivate a cynical outlook, or bargain for the time to figure things out, or become angry and project their failure on other forces, or lament their fallibility in the face of assuming responsibility. At the same time, the physicians in the stories grieve the loss of persons entrusted to their care, experiencing sadness and sometimes the urge for recrimination. The broadest common message of these fictional portraits of failure seems to be that while to err is human, it is equally human to struggle against error by trying to account for it, explain it, or prevent it the next time. Literature holds out little hope for eliminating or avoiding failures and mistakes, but in the unblinking accuracy and complexity of emotion with which it displays physicians coming to terms with failure, literature is on the side of understanding and empathy.
上述四个故事讲述了医生应对受限、失败和失落经历的几种方式。他们可能会从他人的错误中寻求慰藉，或培养愤世嫉俗的观点，或争取时间来弄清楚事情，或变得愤怒并将自己的失败归咎于其他力量，或在承担责任时哀叹自己的易犯错性。与此同时，故事中的医生为托付给他们照顾的人的逝去而悲痛，体验到悲伤，有时还有指责的冲动。这些关于失败的虚构写照最广泛的共同信息似乎是，虽然人孰能无过，但通过试图解释错误、说明错误或下次预防错误来与错误作斗争同样是人之常情。文学对于消除或避免失败和错误几乎不抱希望，但在其毫不掩饰地准确且复杂地展现医生面对失败时的情感方面，文学站在理解和同情这一边。
