Enhancing Patient Safety: Examining Factors Associated with Recovery of Medical Errors by Medical Surgical Nurses
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The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between individual nurse characteristics, organizational factors, and recovery of medical errors by medical surgical nurses in acute care settings.
Background/Significance:
After nearly 15 years of concentrated efforts to improve patient safety, preventable medical errors continue to result in patient harm. Research has focused on error causation rather than error recovery which consists of identifying, interrupting and correcting errors before harm occurs. Greater understanding of factors that influence error recovery can aid in the development of strategies to reduce negative outcomes.
Methods:
This was a descriptive cross-sectional, correlational study using a sample (N=72) of medical surgical nurses from 4 hospitals in the mid-Atlantic area. Following internal review board approval, data was collected using an online survey tool. The Recovered Medical Error Inventory (REMI), a 25-item instrument, measured the outcome variable. Characteristics of individual nurses (age, education, specialty tenure, facility tenure, expertise, and certification) and organizational factors (Magnet designation and workload) were collected using a researcher developed questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests.
Results:
Respondents (N=72) were female (90.3%) with a mean age of 41 (SD=10.8). Nearly two-thirds of respondents were staff nurses (58.3%) and worked 12 hour shifts (87.5%). Mean hospital tenure of respondents was 7.9 (SD=7.7) and specialty tenure was 10.3 years (SD=9.4). Respondents reported that they recovered 875 medical errors over the past 3 months. Recovered medical errors varied based on workload (p=.016) and expertise (p=.017). There were no significant differences based on Magnet designation or certification.
Conclusions and Implications for Practice:
Medical error recovery is an important component of the safety process. The REMI captured a substantial number of medical errors recovered by medical surgical nurses, yet this important contribution to patient safety remains largely invisible. Further examination of the recovery process is needed.