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Patient and Staff Safety: Voluntary Reporting

School of Nursing, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colo, mary.blegen{at}uchsc.edu

Thomas Vaughn, PhD

College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

Ginette Pepper, RN, PhD

University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

Carol Vojir, PhD

School of Nursing, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colo

Karen Stratton, RN, MS

School of Nursing, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colo

Michal Boyd, RN, ND

School of Nursing, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colo

Gail Armstrong, RN, ND

School of Nursing, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colo

Central to efforts to assure the quality of patient care in hospitals is having accurate data about quality and patient problems. The purpose was to describe the reporting rates of medication administration errors (MAE), patient falls, and occupational injuries. A questionnaire was distributed to staff nurses (N = 1105 respondents) in a national sample of 25 hospitals. This addressed voluntary reporting, work environment factors, and reasons for not reporting occurrences. More than 80t indicated that all MAEs should be reported, but only 36% indicated that near misses should be reported. Perceived levels of actual reporting were: 47% of MAEs, 77% of patient falls, 48% of needlesticks, 22% of other exposures to body fluids, and 17% of back injuries. Administrative response to reports, personal fears, and unit quality management were related to reporting. Patient and staff safety occurrences are underreported. Strong quality management processes and positive responses to reports of occurrences may increase reporting and enhance safety.

Key Words: Back injury • medication errors • needlesticks • nursing • occupational injury • occurrence reporting • patient falls • patient safety • quality assurance • quality of care

American Journal of Medical Quality, Vol. 19, No. 2, 67-74 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/106286060401900204


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