Harassment in the Field of Medicine: Cultural Barriers to Psychological Safety

Abstract

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Démanteler l’islamophobie genrée en médecine

“…femmes musulmanes visiblement identifiables dans le milieu des soins de santé sont souvent perçues à la lumière d'une identité religieuse monolithique, alors que leurs identités multiples -y compris leurs identités religieuses, ethniques et raciales uniques -sont rejetées ou oblitérées. On a rapporté à maintes reprises des récits d'exclusion dommageable en milieu de travail, de la part de collègues ou de patients, visant des professionnels de la santé d'origine musulmane 7,8 . Des médecins musulmanes ont mentionné avoir accès à un moins grand nombre d'occasions d'enseignement et d'apprentissage, en plus de ressentir des sen timents d'aliénation par rapport à leurs collègues sur les lieux de travail 9 .…”

“…Enfin et surtout, les politiques institutionnelles doivent créer des milieux de travail cliniques et de recherche qui sont sécuri taires et inclusifs. Les auteurs d'un récent exposé de synthèse résument comment les organisations médicales pourraient pren dre des mesures en vue d'assurer une sécurité psychologique, grâce à un partage des pouvoirs et des connaissances, en créant des environnements éthiques forts et en assurant une culture d'évaluation et de reddition de comptes 8 . En appliquant ces prin cipes à l'islamophobie genrée, les organisations devraient s'assurer que les femmes musulmanes sont représentées dans des postes de direction, comme les comités de rédaction, les administrations hospitalières et les directions universitaires.…”

Gaslighting in academic medicine: where anti-Black racism lives

“…19 Low psychological safety is correlated with increases in patient harm, as members of the team feel unsafe to report risky situations. A 2021 review 20 of psychological safety in medicine pointed to large power gradients (e.g., as those that may exist between the people who identify as white and the people who do not identify as white members of a team) as being key determinants of psychological safety. The harms experi enced by team members are in addition to the harms created for patients when they themselves are targets of gaslighting behav iour, as in some recent highly publicized cases.…”

Dismantling gendered Islamophobia in medicine

“…Stories of harmful exclusion in the workplace from colleagues or patients have been shared repeatedly by Muslim health care professionals. 7 , 8 Muslim women physicians have reported fewer teaching and learning opportunities, as well as feelings of alienation from colleagues in the workplace. 9 The discrimination, dehumanization, exclusion and “othering” endured by health care providers who wear the hijab heightens the challenges that these professionals already face, which contributes to mental and emotional burnout.…”

“…The authors of a recent review article summarized how medical organizations could take steps toward psychological safety through power and knowledge sharing, creating strong ethical environments, and evaluation and accountability. 8 Applying these principles to gendered Islamophobia, organizations should ensure that Muslim women are represented in leadership roles, such as editorial boards, hospital administration and academic leadership. Furthermore, institutions must have structures that allow Muslim women to report and address experiences of discrimination or harassment safely.…”