Factors Influencing Perioperative Nurses' Error Reporting Preferences

Authors

Sherry Espin, Ryerson University
Glenn Regehr, University of Toronto
Wendy Levinson, University of Toronto
G. Ross Baker, University of Toronto
Christina Biancucci, University of Toronto
Lorelei Lingard, University of Toronto

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-2007

Journal

AORN Journal

Volume

85

Issue

3

First Page

527

Last Page

543

URL with Digital Object Identifier

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0001-2092(07)60125-2

Abstract

To explore the influence of scope of practice and patient outcomes on error reporting, 13 nurses were interviewed after they reviewed four "error" scenarios ranging in both scope of practice and seriousness of outcome. Of 52 theoretical incidents, only 30 were identified as errors. The nurses indicated they would formally report errors for only eight of the incidents. For another 10 incidents, the nurses would have reported using an informal reporting system only. Qualitative analysis of the interviews revealed that perceived scope of practice influenced reporting preferences, and seriousness of outcome was only a secondary consideration. Selective error reporting and the reasons for selective reporting have negative implications for patient safety.

Notes

Dr. Lorelei Lingard is currently a faculty member at The University of Western Ontario.