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Li L, Badgery-Parker T, Merchant A, Fitzpatrick E, Raban MZ, Mumford V, Metri NJ, Hibbert PD, Mccullagh C, Dickinson M, Westbrook JI. Paediatric medication incident reporting: a multicentre comparison study of medication errors identified at audit, detected by staff and reported to an incident system. BMJ Qual Saf 2024:bmjqs-2023-016711. [PMID: 38621921 DOI: 10.1136/bmjqs-2023-016711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To compare medication errors identified at audit and via direct observation with medication errors reported to an incident reporting system at paediatric hospitals and to investigate differences in types and severity of errors detected and reported by staff. METHODS This is a comparison study at two tertiary referral paediatric hospitals between 2016 and 2020 in Australia. Prescribing errors were identified from a medication chart audit of 7785 patient records. Medication administration errors were identified from a prospective direct observational study of 5137 medication administration doses to 1530 patients. Medication errors reported to the hospitals' incident reporting system were identified and matched with errors identified at audit and observation. RESULTS Of 11 302 clinical prescribing errors identified at audit, 3.2 per 1000 errors (95% CI 2.3 to 4.4, n=36) had an incident report. Of 2224 potentially serious prescribing errors from audit, 26.1% (95% CI 24.3 to 27.9, n=580) were detected by staff and 11.2 per 1000 errors (95% CI 7.6 to 16.5, n=25) were reported to the incident system. Although the prescribing error detection rates varied between the two hospitals, there was no difference in incident reporting rates regardless of error severity. Of 40 errors associated with actual patient harm, only 7 (17.5%; 95% CI 8.7% to 31.9%) were detected by staff and 4 (10.0%; 95% CI 4.0% to 23.1%) had an incident report. None of the 2883 clinical medication administration errors observed, including 903 potentially serious errors and 144 errors associated with actual patient harm, had incident reports. CONCLUSION Incident reporting data do not provide an accurate reflection of medication errors and related harm to children in hospitals. Failure to detect medication errors is likely to be a significant contributor to low error reporting rates. In an era of electronic health records, new automated approaches to monitor medication safety should be pursued to provide real-time monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Li
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Tim Badgery-Parker
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alison Merchant
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Erin Fitzpatrick
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Magdalena Z Raban
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Virginia Mumford
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Najwa-Joelle Metri
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Peter Damian Hibbert
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Cheryl Mccullagh
- Executive, Beamtree, Redfern, New South Wales, Australia
- The Sydney Children's Hospitals Network Randwick and Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Michael Dickinson
- The Sydney Children's Hospitals Network Randwick and Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Johanna I Westbrook
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Albreiki S, Simsekler MCE, Qazi A, Bouabid A. Assessment of the organizational factors in incident management practices in healthcare: A tree augmented Naive Bayes model. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299485. [PMID: 38451980 PMCID: PMC10919587 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the exponential transformation occurring in the healthcare industry, operational failures pose significant challenges in the delivery of safe and efficient care. Incident management plays a crucial role in mitigating these challenges; however, it encounters limitations due to organizational factors within complex and dynamic healthcare systems. Further, there are limited studies examining the interdependencies and relative importance of these factors in the context of incident management practices. To address this gap, this study utilized aggregate-level hospital data to explore the influence of organizational factors on incident management practices. Employing a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) structural learning algorithm, Tree Augmented Naive (TAN), this study assessed the probabilistic relationships, represented graphically, between organizational factors and incident management. Significantly, the model highlighted the critical roles of morale and staff engagement in influencing incident management practices within organizations. This study enhances our understanding of the importance of organizational factors in incident management, providing valuable insights for healthcare managers to effectively prioritize and allocate resources for continuous quality improvement efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salma Albreiki
- Department of Management Science and Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mecit Can Emre Simsekler
- Department of Management Science and Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Abroon Qazi
- School of Business Administration, American University Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ali Bouabid
- Institute of Educational Sciences, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Ben Guerir, Morocco
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Pramesona BA, Sukohar A, Taneepanichskul S, Rasyid MFA. A qualitative study of the reasons for low patient safety incident reporting among Indonesian nurses. Rev Bras Enferm 2023; 76:e20220583. [PMID: 37820144 PMCID: PMC10561923 DOI: 10.1590/0034-7167-2022-0583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES to investigate the reasons for low patient safety incident reporting among Indonesian nurses. METHODS this qualitative case study was conducted among 15 clinical nurses selected purposively from a public hospital in Lampung, Indonesia. Interview guidelines were used for data collection through face-to-face in-depth interviews in July 2022. The thematic approach was used to analyze the data. RESULTS in this present study, seven themes emerged (1) Understanding incident reporting; (2) The culture; (3) Consequences of reporting; (4) Socialization and training; (5) Facilities; (6) Feedback; and (7) Rewards and punishments. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS these findings should be considered challenges for the patient safety committee and hospital management to increase patient safety incident reporting, particularly among nurses in the hospital.
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Dubois C, San Juan M, Massa C, Raynaud S, Sontheimer A, Usclade A, Pereira B, Chaix R, Lemaire JJ. A survey on the experience of risk-taking behaviors of bedridden patients in neurosurgery. Neurochirurgie 2023; 69:101421. [PMID: 36868136 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuchi.2023.101421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- C Dubois
- Service de neurochirurgie, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - M San Juan
- Service de neurochirurgie, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - C Massa
- Service de neurochirurgie, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - S Raynaud
- Service de neurochirurgie, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - A Sontheimer
- Service de neurochirurgie, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France; Clermont Auvergne université, Clermont Auvergne INP, CNRS, institut Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - A Usclade
- Direction de la recherche clinique et de l'innovation, CHU de Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - B Pereira
- Direction de la recherche clinique et de l'innovation, CHU de Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - R Chaix
- Service de neurochirurgie, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France; Clermont Auvergne université, Clermont Auvergne INP, CNRS, institut Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - J-J Lemaire
- Service de neurochirurgie, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France; Clermont Auvergne université, Clermont Auvergne INP, CNRS, institut Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
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Organizational Factors That Promote Error Reporting in Healthcare: A Scoping Review. J Healthc Manag 2022; 67:283-301. [PMID: 35802929 DOI: 10.1097/jhm-d-21-00166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
GOAL The overarching aim of this systematic review was to offer guidelines for organizations and healthcare providers to create psychological safety in error reporting. The authors wanted to identify organizational factors that promote psychological safety for error reporting and identify gaps in the literature to explore innovative avenues for future research. METHODS The authors conducted an online search of peer-reviewed articles that contain organizational processes promoting or preventing error reporting. The search yielded 420 articles published from 2015 to 2021. From this set, 52 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility. Data from 29 articles were evaluated for quality using Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We present a narrative review of the 29 studies that reported factors either promoting error reporting or serving as barriers. We also present our findings in tables to highlight the most frequently reported themes. Our findings reveal that many healthcare organizations work at opposite ends of the process continuum to achieve the same goals. Finally, our results highlight the need to explore cultural differences and personal biases among both healthcare leaders and clinicians. APPLICATIONS TO PRACTICE The findings underscore the need for a deeper dive into understanding error reporting from the perspective of individual characteristics and organizational interests toward increasing psychological safety in healthcare teams and the workplace to strengthen patient safety.
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Qedan RI, Daibes MA, Al-Jabi SW, Koni AA, Zyoud SH. Nurses' knowledge and understanding of obstacles encountered them when administering resuscitation medications: a cross-sectional study from Palestine. BMC Nurs 2022; 21:116. [PMID: 35578234 PMCID: PMC9109424 DOI: 10.1186/s12912-022-00895-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medication errors (ME) are one of the most important reasons for patient morbidity and mortality, but insufficient drug knowledge among nurses is considered a major factor in drug administration errors. Furthermore, the complex and stressful systems surrounding resuscitation events increase nursing errors. AIMS This study aimed to assess the knowledge about resuscitation medications and understand the obstacles faced by nurses when giving resuscitation medications. Additionally, errors in the reporting of resuscitation medication administration and the reasons that prevented nurses from reporting errors were investigated. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted in the West Bank, Palestine. Convenient sampling was used to collect data, which was collected via a face-to-face interview questionnaire taken from a previous study. The questionnaire consisted of five parts: demographic data, knowledge of resuscitation medications (20 true/false questions), self-evaluation and causes behind not reporting ME, with suggestions to decrease ME. RESULTS A total of 200 nurses participated in the study. Nurses were found to have insufficient knowledge about resuscitation medications (58.6%). A high knowledge score was associated with male nurses, those working in the general ward, the cardiac care unit (CCU), the intensive care unit (ICU) and the general ward. The main obstacles nurses faced when administering resuscitation medication were the chaotic environment in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (62%), the unavailability of pharmacists for a whole day (61%), and different medications that look alike in the packaging (61%). Most nurses (70.5%) hoped to gain additional training. In our study, we found no compatibility in the definition of ME between nurses and hospitals (43.5%). CONCLUSIONS Nurses had insufficient knowledge of resuscitation medications. One of the obstacles nurses faced was that pharmacists should appropriately arrange medications, and nurses wanted continuous learning and additional training about resuscitation medications to decrease ME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rawan I Qedan
- Department of Clinical and Community Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, 44839, Palestine
| | - Marah A Daibes
- Department of Clinical and Community Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, 44839, Palestine
| | - Samah W Al-Jabi
- Department of Clinical and Community Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, 44839, Palestine
| | - Amer A Koni
- Department of Clinical and Community Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, 44839, Palestine
- Division of Clinical Pharmacy, Department of Hematology and Oncology, An-Najah National University Hospital, Nablus, 44839, Palestine
| | - Sa'ed H Zyoud
- Department of Clinical and Community Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, 44839, Palestine.
- Poison Control and Drug Information Center (PCDIC), College of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, 44839, Palestine.
- Clinical Research Center, An-Najah National University Hospital, Nablus, 44839, Palestine.
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Kodate N, Taneda K, Yumoto A, Kawakami N. How do healthcare practitioners use incident data to improve patient safety in Japan? A qualitative study. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:241. [PMID: 35193562 PMCID: PMC8862528 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-07631-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patient incident reporting systems have been widely used for ensuring safety and improving quality in care settings in many countries. However, little is known about the way in which incident data are used by frontline clinical staff. Furthermore, while the use of a systems perspective has been reported as an effective way of learning from incident data in a multidisciplinary team, the level of adaptability of this perspective to a different cultural context has not been widely explored. The primary aim of the study, therefore, was to investigate how healthcare practitioners in Japan perceive the reporting systems and utilize a systems perspective in learning from incident data in acute care and mental health settings. METHODS A non-experimental, descriptive and exploratory research design was adopted with the following two data-collection methods: 1) Sixty-one semi-structured interviews with frontline staff in two hospitals; and 2) Non-participatory observations of thirty-seven regular incident review meetings. The two hospitals in the Greater Tokyo area which were invited to take part were: 1) a not-for-profit, privately-run, acute care hospital with approximately 500 beds; and 2) a publicly-run mental health hospital with 200 beds. RESULTS While the majority of staff acknowledge the positive impacts of the reporting systems on safety, the observation data found that little consideration was given to systems aspects during formal meetings. The meetings were primarily a place for the exchange of practical information, as opposed to in-depth discussions regarding causes of incidents and corrective measures. Learning from incident data was influenced by four factors: professional boundaries; dealing with a psychological burden; leadership and educational approach; and compatibility of patient safety with patient-centered care. CONCLUSIONS Healthcare organizations are highly complex, comprising of many professional boundaries and risk perceptions, and various communication styles. In order to establish an optimum method of individual and organizational learning and effective safety management, a fine balance has to be struck between respect for professional expertise in a local team and centralized safety oversight with a strong focus on systems. Further research needs to examine culturally-sensitive organizational and professional dynamics, including leader-follower relationships and the impact of resource constraints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naonori Kodate
- School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
- Public Policy Research Centre, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan.
- Fondation France-Japon, L'École Des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris, France.
- Institute for Future Initiatives, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
- UCD Centre for Japanese Studies, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Ken'ichiro Taneda
- Department of International Health and Collaboration / Department of Health and Welfare Services, National Institute of Public Health, Saitama, Japan
| | - Akiyo Yumoto
- Graduate School of Nursing, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Nana Kawakami
- Graduate School of Nursing, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
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Jafaru Y, Abubakar D. Medication Administration Safety Practices and Perceived Barriers Among Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northern Nigeria. GLOBAL JOURNAL ON QUALITY AND SAFETY IN HEALTHCARE 2022; 5:10-17. [PMID: 37260556 PMCID: PMC10229023 DOI: 10.36401/jqsh-21-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Safe medication administration is a vital process that ensures patients' safety and quality of life. However, reports of medication errors and their solutions are lacking. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between medication administration safety practices and perceived barriers among nurses in northern Nigeria. Methods A descriptive approach to research and cross-sectional design was applied to this study. The study population included nurse employees of the Zamfara State Government in northern Nigeria. Simple random sampling and systematic sampling were used in selecting the respondents of the study. Descriptive analysis and the Spearman rank-order correlation were used in data analysis. Results Fewer than 50% of the respondents were found to agree or strongly agree that they identify allergic patients before administering medication. Most of the respondents had agreed or strongly agreed with the following as barriers to medication administration safety practices: lack of appropriate coordination between physicians and nurses, and lack of favorable policies and facilities. There was a very weak positive correlation between medication safety practices and barriers to medication safety practices, and the correlation was statistically significant (rs = 0.180, P = 0.009). Conclusion There was a high level of desirable medication administration safety practices that the respondents followed. Nonidentification of a patient's allergic status and inadequate information on the effects of medications were among the identified medication administration practice gaps. There should be policies guiding medication administration in all hospitals in Zamfara, Nigeria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yahaya Jafaru
- Department of Nursing Sciences College of Health Sciences, Federal University Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi, Nigeria
| | - Danladi Abubakar
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Federal Medical Center Gusau, Zamfara, Nigeria
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Damin Abukhalil A, Amer NM, Musallam LY, Al-Shami N. Medication error awareness among health care providers in Palestine: a questionnaire based cross-sectional observational study. Saudi Pharm J 2022; 30:470-477. [PMID: 35527828 PMCID: PMC9068552 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2022.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Increased awareness among healthcare professionals regarding medication errors and the establishment of a medication error reporting system can significantly reduce the prevalence of medication errors. Unfortunately, Palestine lacks a regulatory system for the control, reporting, and education of medication errors. Objectives This study aimed to assess the awareness of medication errors and reporting of medication errors in the Palestinian medical community. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted using a self-administered survey involving doctors, nurses, and pharmacists in Palestine. The survey consisted of 20 questions to assess healthcare providers' awareness and course of actions related to medication errors. Data were collected from February 2020 to April 2020. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for data analysis. This study was approved by the ethical committee of Birzeit University. Results A total of 394 participants were included, including 202 nurses, 114 doctors, and 78 pharmacists. 203 (51.5%) had a good awareness level of medication errors, whereas 126 (32%) and 65 (16.5%) had average awareness and poor awareness levels, respectively. In addition, 66.0% of providers did not inform the patients after recognizing the error. Fear of legal or social consequences and being too busy are significant barriers to reporting medication errors. Moreover, 35 % of all providers were not aware of the reporting system in their institutions or the reporting methodology, and only 26% of all participants confirmed that their institutions provided continuous education on medication errors. Conclusion This study revealed differences in healthcare professionals' awareness of medication errors. The study's findings emphasize the urgent need to adopt appropriate measures to raise awareness about medication errors among healthcare providers in Palestine. Furthermore, establishing a regulatory policy and a national medication error reporting system to improve medication safety.
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ALFadhalah T, Elamir H. Patient safety and leadership style in the government general hospitals in Kuwait: a multi-method study. Leadersh Health Serv (Bradf Engl) 2021. [DOI: 10.1108/lhs-07-2021-0062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to evaluate the relationships between leadership style and reported incidents, reporting practices and patient safety initiatives in Kuwaiti hospitals.
Design/methodology/approach
This cross-sectional and retrospective quantitative multi-centre study was conducted in a secondary care setting. The multifactor leadership questionnaire and the patient safety questionnaire were distributed in six general hospitals to a sample of physicians, nurses and pharmacists. Incident reports were reviewed in each hospital to assess reporting practices.
Findings
The hospital with the most safety incident reports scored the highest on good reporting practices, whereas the hospital with the lowest score of poor reporting practices had reported fewer incidents. Reporting was better if an error reached the patient but caused no harm. Overall, reporting practices and implementation of patient safety initiatives in the hospitals were suboptimal. Nevertheless, a transformational leadership style had a positive effect on patient safety and reporting practices.
Practical implications
This study represents a baseline for researchers to assess the relationship between leadership style and patient safety. Moreover, it highlights significant considerations to be addressed when planning patient safety improvement programmes. More investment is needed to understand how to raise transformational leaders who are more effective on patient safety. Further studies that include primary and tertiary health-care settings and the private sector are required.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first in Kuwait to report on the relationship between transformational leadership and safety practices.
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Mohamed MFH, Abubeker IY, Al-Mohanadi D, Al-Mohammed A, Abou-Samra AB, Elzouki AN. Perceived Barriers of Incident Reporting Among Internists: Results from Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar. Avicenna J Med 2021; 11:139-144. [PMID: 34646790 PMCID: PMC8500080 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1734386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Adverse events (AE) are responsible for annual deaths that exceed deaths due to motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer, and AIDS. Many AE are considered preventable. Thus, AE needs to be detected and analyzed. Incident reporting systems (IRS) are crucial in identifying AE. Nevertheless, the incident report (IR) process is flawed with underreporting, especially from the physicians' side. This limits its efficiency in detecting AE. Therefore, we aimed to assess the practice and identify the barriers associated with incident reporting among internal medicine physicians in a large tertiary hospital through a survey.
Methods
A cross-sectional descriptive study. We distributed an online survey to physicians working in the Internal Medicine Department of Qatar's largest tertiary academic institute. The questionnaire was validated and piloted ahead of the start of the trial. The response rate was 53%.
Results
A total of 115 physicians completed the survey; 59% acknowledged the availability of an institutional IRS. However, only 29% knew how to submit an online IR, and 20% have ever submitted an IR. The survey revealed that participants were less likely to submit an IR when they or a colleague is involved in the incident; 46% and 63%, respectively. The main barriers of reporting incidents were unawareness about the IRS (36%) and the perception that IR will not bring a system change (13%); moreover, there exists the fear of retaliation (13%). When asked about solutions, 57% recommended training and awareness, and 22% recommended sharing learnings and actions from previous IR.
Conclusions
IRS is underutilized by internal medicine physicians. The main barrier at the time of the survey is the lack of training and awareness. Promoting awareness and sharing previous learning and actions may improve the utilization of the IRS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mouhand F H Mohamed
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ibrahim Y Abubeker
- Department of Medicine, Brown Internal Medicine Residency, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
| | - Dabia Al-Mohanadi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ahmed Al-Mohammed
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Abdul-Badi Abou-Samra
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, Doha, Qatar
| | - Abdel-Naser Elzouki
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, Doha, Qatar.,Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
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