Knowledge and Attitude of the Faculty Members and Residents of Guilan University Towards Medical Errors, Barriers, and Predisposing Factors Medical Error, Barriers and Predisposing Factors
International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Forensic Medicine,
Vol. 12 No. 1 (2022),
13 January 2022
,
Page 35824
https://doi.org/10.32598/ijmtfm.vi.35824
Abstract
Background: Patient safety is among the main goals in a health system. Medical errors are considered a significant threat to patient safety. An effective strategy to reduce this risk is reporting these errors even when the patient is not affected. This study investigated the main barriers to reporting medical errors and related factors.
Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in academic hospitals afflicted with Guilan University of Medical Sciences (GUMS) in 2020. University faculty members and residents enrolled in the survey, and a questionnaire was filled out via a face-to-face interview by the responsible resident of anesthesiology.
Results: Overall, 366 individuals, 156 faculty members, and 210 residents completed the questionnaires. Overall, 271 (74.2%), 134 (85.9%) faculty members, and 137 (65.6%) residents, the main barrier to report medical errors was concerning legal consequences. Furthermore, the other important factors were concerning losing job credit (63.4%) and losing the patient’s trust (61.2%). Moreover, the main predisposing factors of medical errors were high workload and a large number of patients (83.3%), long work shifts, and physicians fatigue (80.8%). High job stress and the lack of feeling of support from higher authorities (70.5%), and the lack of adequate equipment and appropriate medical facilities (56%) were the most related factors based on their perspective.
Conclusion: According to the obtained findings, the main barrier to reporting medical errors was legal consequences. Moreover, the main predisposing factors were high workload, many patients, long working shifts, and physicians’ fatigue. Attempts should be made to plan programs to improve the current conditions.
- Knowledge
- Attitude
- Medical Faculty
- Medical Errors
How to Cite
References
Mendonca VS, Schmidt MLS. Physicians’ attitudes regarding the disclosure of medical errors: A qualitative study. Health Psychology Research. 2020; 8(2):8929. [DOI:10.4081/hpr.2020.8929] [PMID] [PMCID]
Khammarnia M, Ravangard R, Barfar E, Setoodehzadeh F. [Medical errors and barriers to reporting in ten hospitals in southern Iran (Persian)]. The Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences. 2015; 22(4):57-63. [PMID][PMCID]
Aljabari S, Kadhim Z. Common barriers to reporting medical errors. The Scientific World Journal. 2021; 2021:6494889. [DOI:10.1155/2021/6494889] [PMID] [PMCID]
Makary MA, Daniel M. Medical error-the third leading cause of death in the US. The BMJ. 2016; 353:i2139. [DOI:10.1136/bmj.i2139][PMID]
Alshaikh M, Mayet A, Aljadhey H. Medication error reporting in a university teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia. Journal of Patient Safety. 2013; 9(3):145-9. [DOI:10.1097/PTS.0b013e3182845044][PMID]
Aldaqal SM, Al-Amoodi MS. To report or not: The dilemma of reporting medical errors among physicians. Advances in Bioscience and Clinical Medicine. 2014; (2)2:40-8. https://www.journals.aiac.org.au/index.php/article/view/657
Alavi CE, Sedighinejad A, Biazar G, Yousefshahi F, Naderi Nabi B, Rimaz SF. [Short communications: Causes and consequences of complaints against anesthesiologists: A 5-year retrospective study (Persian)]. International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Forensic Medicine. 2018; 8(4(Autumn)):161-6. [DOI:10.22037/ijmtfm.v8i4(Autumn).22781]
Ranaei A, Gorji HA, Aryankhesal A, Langarizadeh M. [Investigation of medical error-reporting system and reporting status in Iran in 2019 (Persian)]. Journal of Education and Health Promotion. 2020; 9:272. [DOI:10.4103/jehp.jehp_73_20][PMID][PMCID]
Alsafi E, Baharoon S, Ahmed A, Al-Jahdali HH, Al Zahrani S, Al Sayyari A. Physicians’ knowledge and practice towards medical error reporting: A cross-sectional hospital-based study in Saudi Arabia. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal. 2015; 21(9):655-64. [DOI:10.26719/2015.21.9.655][PMID]
Afolalu OO, Jordan S, Kyriacos U. Medical error reporting among doctors and nurses in a Nigerian hospital: A cross-sectional survey. Journal of Nursing Management. 2021; 29(5):1007-15. [DOI:10.1111/jonm.13238][PMID]
Askarian M, Sherafat SM, Ghodsi M, Shayan Z, Palenik C, Hatam N, et al. [Prevalence of non-reporting of hospital medical errors in the Islamic Republic of Iran (Persia)]. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal. 2020; 26(11):1339-46. [DOI:10.26719/emhj.19.050][PMID]
Vaziri S, Fakouri F, Mirzaei M, Afsharian M, Azizi M, Arab-Zozani M. [Prevalence of medical errors in Iran: A systematic review and meta-analysis (Persian)]. BMC Health Services Research. 2019; 19(1):622. [DOI:10.1186/s12913-019-4464-8] [PMID] [PMCID]
Doshmangir L, Torabi F, Ravaghi H, Akbari Sari A, Mostafavi H. [Challenges and solutions facing medical errors and adverse events in Iran: A qualitative study (Persian)]. Journal of Hospital. 2016; 15(1):31-40. http://jhosp.tums.ac.ir/article-1-5554-en.html
Tawfik DS, Profit J, Morgenthaler TI, Satele DV, Sinsky CA, Dyrbye LN, et al. Physician burnout, well-being, and work unit safety grades in relationship to reported medical errors. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2018; 93(11):1571-80. [DOI:10.1016/j.mayocp.2018.05.014][PMID] [PMCID]
Hewitt DB, Ellis RJ, Chung JW, Cheung EO, Moskowitz JT, Huang R, et al. Association of surgical resident wellness with medical errors and patient outcomes. Annals of Surgery. 2021; 274(2):396-402. [DOI:10.1097/SLA.0000000000003909] [PMID]
- Abstract Viewed: 583 times
- pdf Downloaded: 502 times