End-of-life care can be difficult for patients, families, and the care team. This commentary offers insights from a physician's experience with a conversation that was psychologically detrimental to a patient and his family. The author suggests that focusing on the empathetic relationship with patients and families can provide the support needed to care for the patient while exercising judgement and engaging in shared decision making about next steps.

Being accountable for errors and working to learn from them is key to improving patient safety. This commentary describes a physician's reactions following a medication ordering error that resulted in temporary patient harm, steps taken to report the error, how the incident was used as a teaching point for team members, and the patient's positive response to the physician's disclosure and apology.