Showing 14 results for Error
Mohamad Rafiezadeh, Mahshad Noroozi, Akram Hashemi, Saeedeh Saeedi Tehrani,
Volume 0, Issue 0 (9-2025)
Abstract
Introduction
Physicians often hesitate to disclose their errors due to fears of legal repercussions and stigma. Understanding their attitudes toward error prevention and professional behavior is essential. This study aimed to evaluate the attitudes of interns at Iran University of Medical Sciences regarding the disclosure of medical errors.
Materials and Methods
This cross-sectional descriptive study included all interns who entered the university in 2017. Data were collected using the Persian version of the Medical Mistakes Survey questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS software version 26.
Findings
Among the 186 participants, 66% reported committing a medical error. Only 21% fully disclosed errors with no significant adverse effects, while 31% disclosed errors with severe consequences.
Conclusion
Most interns avoid fully disclosing errors, primarily due to fears of legal action and concerns about being underestimated by patients. Further studies are needed to enhance physicians' performance and patient safety.
Fatemeh Hashemi, Alireza Nikbakht Nasrabadi, Fariba Asghari ,
Volume 4, Issue 2 (4-2011)
Abstract
Reporting professional errors is an essential step towards improving patient safety not only in hospitals but also outpatient healthcare centers. Unfortunately, nurses, like many other members of the medical team, do not report most of their mistakes and errors in performance. The objective of this study was to assess possible determinants of the tendency to report nursing errors by exploring the experiences of clinical nurses and nursing managers in this regard.
In this qualitative study, 115 nurses employed by hospitals and specialty clinics of Tehran and Shiraz Universities of Medical Sciences were enrolled. Data were collected through 17 sessions of semi-structured discussion groups, and contents were examined and analyzed based on an empirical-analytic approach. The main patterns observed in this study included 1) nurses' overall perception of error, 2) obstacles in reporting nursing errors, 3) motives of reporting error. Reporting errors can provide valuable information for prevention of future errors and improvement of patient safety. Overall, considering the obstacles and motives of reporting nursing errors, there is need for codes and regulations in which the process of reporting error and the components of error are clearly determined and defined.
Seyyedeh Mojgan Ghalandarpoor, Fariba Asghari, Ahmad Kaviyani, Mahrokh Daeemi,
Volume 4, Issue 3 (5-2011)
Abstract
Admitting medical errors is one of the professional obligations of physicians that unfortunately involves numerous challenges. The present paper aimed to investigate the attitude of surgery faculty and residents towards medical error disclosure and factors affecting it. In this cross-sectional descriptive and analytic study, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed among all faculty and residents of the department of general surgery of the teaching hospitals of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The response rate was 84.1% (53 out of a total of 63).
Tendency to make minor and major errors among the respondents was 39.6% and 49.1% respectively, and 71.7% declared that the most significant factor hindering error disclosure was fear of litigation. Only 16.7% (8) had disclosed their most recent medical errors to their patients, 25% (2) of whom had to face legal action.
There seems to be a clear distinction between the doctors’ inclination to disclose their medical errors and what actually happens in their practice, the most important reason being their professed fear of litigation. Considering the need in the majority of physicians for appropriate training on the subject of medical errors and communication strategies, it seems that in order to resolve this issue, changes need to be made in the current system for error management so as to provide professional support for physicians who make medical errors, and doctors should receive the necessary training on ethical principles and patient communication strategies.
Mehdi Golafrooz, Hajar Sadeghi, Fatemeh Ghaedi, Yaser Tabarraei, Fariba Keighobadi, Farzaneh Keighobadi,
Volume 7, Issue 1 (5-2014)
Abstract
Although errors in health services are harmful and the consequences might be irreversible in some situations, none of the health care providers are free of errors. Since health provision is the main goal of the nursing care, it is important to report professional errors in order to reach this goal. However, there are many obstacles in reporting nursing errors that should be identified and solved. The present study tried to evaluate the nurses’ point of view about managerial and moral obstacles in expressing nursing errors.Two hundred and one nurses of the educational hospitals of Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences were enrolled in this descriptive analytic study. The students were selected by convenience sampling method and the study data was collected using a questionnaire that consisted of a demographic part and a researcher made part with 13 and 27 questions related to managerial and moral obstacles respectively. Content validity index and reliability were measured by internal consistency (α = 80) and test-retest (r = 0.84). Data analysis was done by SPSS 18 software.The results of this study showed that the main reported managerial obstacle in reporting nursing errors was endangerment of academic position (43.3%), and the main moral obstacle was losing physicians' support (55.2%). Thus this problem might be solved by designing appropriate plans from both managerial and moral points of view.
Shourangiz Biranvand, Fatemeh Valizadeh, Reza Hosseinabadi, Mehdi Safari,
Volume 7, Issue 1 (5-2014)
Abstract
Despite the efforts of health care practitioners, medical errors are inevitable. Disclosure of errors is patients’ demand and right. The aim of this study was to determine the nursing staff’s attitudes about disclosure of medical errors to patients and its relationship with disclosure of actual and hypothetical errors. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 180 of the nursing staff employed in the educational hospitals of the city of Khorramabad were selected by non-probability quota and available sampling. Data collection tools were a valid and reliable questionnaire including some questions about the nursing staff’s attitude toward disclosing medical errors to patients, recording and reporting actual errors, and scenarios to investigate the tendency of nurses for reporting hypothetical errors. The data was analyzed SPSS software. The findings indicate that the mean score of the nursing staff’s attitude about disclosing medical errors to patients was 80.50 14.4. The mean score of the nursing staff’s attitudes toward recording minor actual errors (P < 0.02) and their tendency to disclose hypothetical errors causing minor injuries (P < 0.001), moderate injuries (P < 0.001) and major injuries (P < 0.003) were meaningfully more than those who did not tend to disclose errors. There was no significant difference between attitudes of nurses with a history of disclosing actual errors that lead to major harms to patients (P = 0.64) and those who did not report such medical errors to patients. Attitude of the nursing staff toward disclosing medical errors to patients was at a moderate level, which practically increases the probability of concealing errors.
Masoomeh Seidi, Fatmeh Cheraghi, Taibeh Hasan Tehrani,
Volume 8, Issue 3 (9-2015)
Abstract
Medication errors are among the most common medical errors that place patients at risk, and their prevalence is considered a measure of patient safety in hospitals. Using the experiences and opinions of experts is an important source of information for developing strategies to prevent medication errors. The aim of this study was to define strategies for the prevention of medication errors in hospitals of Hamedan University of Medical Sciences.This qualitative study was conducted on 10 nurses with experience of working in various hospital wards, selected through purposive sampling using the maximum variation technique. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect record and transcribe the data, which were then typed and stored on the computer. The collected data were analyzed using content analysis. After combining similar cases, we were able to develop 11 main categories, 43 sub-categories, and 3 themes: human factors, administrative principles and organizational structures. Our findings present the experiences of nurses regarding strategies related to the prevention of medication errors. Proper planning, coordination of human resources within wards, development of a comprehensive system to monitor prescription charts, suitable hospital equipment and favorable environmental conditions are some factors that can prevent the dangerous and perhaps irreversible consequences of medication errors.
Ali Taghipour, Hamidreza Bahrami Taghanaki, Hamidreza Hosienzade, Mohammadreza Noras,
Volume 9, Issue 3 (10-2016)
Abstract
Traditional and complementary medicine centers, as providers of health services, have a special responsibility towards patients and clients. With increase in the number of these centers, the role of traditional and complementary medicine has become more important in the analysis, diagnosis, and treatment of illnesses. The accurate and fast performance of medical approaches using evidence-based diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, with consideration of the rights, integrity, and dignity of clients are among the priorities and necessities that can have a significant impact on the satisfaction and acceptance of the scientific and legal institutions, parallel to the deployment of new services provision systems. Lack of sufficient scientific evidence of efficiency and effectiveness, lack of definition and determination of authorities to handle complaints, the legal process of ethical and legal aspects of medical errors has caused challenges for the field of complementary and alternative medicine. Thus, this legal void must be filled through formulation and revision of laws and regulations, defining of the practical and acceptable set of scientific resources, and determination of authorized service centers to resolve complaints and to punish. It is hoped that the results of this review study increase the information of the professionals in this field and attract the attention of authorities of medical ethics to this field.
Haleh Habibi, Mehrandokht Nekavand, Seyed Mohammad Akrami,
Volume 9, Issue 5 (1-2017)
Abstract
Errors in health care services may cause irreversible harm in some cases. Medical errors are a threat to the welfare and health of the patient and their family and should be prevented. The majority of medical errors have little impact on human health, but some of them cause huge losses. This report describes a case of laboratory error in amniocentesis during pregnancy in which uncertain test result caused anxiety and lots of concern for the family. Inappropriate approach to medical error causes more errors to happen. Studies have shown that appropriate reporting and shift from traditional to systematic approach are important factors in reducing the frequency of medical errors.
Sedigheh Ebrahimi, Zahra Hemmati,
Volume 12, Issue 0 (3-2019)
Abstract
Medical error is one of the most important ethical and legal issues that sometimes occur when a variety of health care practices are provided by healthcare professionals. Due to the necessity of medical error disclosure and lack of adequate personal and organizational support in this field, this study investigates strategies for facilitating error disclosure as well as increasing the variety of supportive measures from the perspective of residents. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study with statistical population including all residents of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. The sample size was obtained using Morgan table as 248 participants. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire (with descriptive and valid reliability) and analyzed by SPSS software using descriptive and inferential statistics. In this study, increasing support facilities for medical error disclosure (mean 4.38) was the most important factor, and increasing the lawfulness and transparency of activities in the medical setting (mean 4.32) was the second factor affecting the promotion of medical error disclosure. Also, medical liability insurance (mean 4.80) was the most important supportive measure. The fear of legal and judicial consequences was reported as the most effective factors on the error concealment and having experienced lawyers and cultivation effects of mass media declared as the way out. In the present study, although most residents agreed with medical error disclosure, but due to the wide range of risk management problems that affect error disclosure, they found it necessary to establish a support system. Given the teamwork in health-care delivery, support should be given to all members of the treatment team.
Sedigheh Ebrahimi, Azadeh Mohammad Rezaee, Omid Asemani,
Volume 12, Issue 0 (3-2019)
Abstract
Medical errors in pediatrics if different from adults. This study aimed to investigate type and frequency of medical errors and the related contributing factors from pediatric residents' point of view. This descriptive and cross sectional study was done in 2016. After determining validity (face and content) and reliability the final questionnaire with 17 questions categorized in six parts was used for data collection. Data were analyzed descriptively using SPSS v.22. ''Errors of diagnosis or delay in diagnosis' (8.6)', ''choosing appropriate dose (8.3) and medication (8.2)'' had the highest average weights. Fellows of pediatrics (12.6) and pediatrics’ professors (12.1) with the highest average weights had the most dominant role in diagnosis and prevention of errors. The most and the least average weights of the errors was reported for urban general physicians and pediatrics’ professors, respectively. Errors could occur at 2-8 AM more likely. Junior residents were the ones with the most chance of doing errors. Medical errors were mostly reported to occur in the group of children (70.6%) than neonates (29.4%). Reconstruction and strengthening educational and supervision role of pediatric fellowships and attending with the aim of in time diagnosis and then prevention of medical errors could be considered as a must in teaching hospitals. Holding purposeful educational courses and control of contributing factors like workload, exhaustion, inexperience, etc. are among duties of educational and executive managers.
Shilan Ghaderi, Mehran Sadeghi, Fayegh Yousefi, Mohammad Saleh Vahedi, Nader Karami, Aram Karimian,
Volume 12, Issue 0 (3-2019)
Abstract
One of the main methods of improving patient safety is use of reporting systems and providing facilities for analyzing and preventing mistakes. The aim of this study was to determine the attitude of nursing managers of hospitals affiliated to Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences towards the voluntary reporting system of medical errors in 2015. In this descriptive-analytic study, all managers of selected hospitals in Kurdistan province were enrolled in this study. The data was collected through a valid questionnaire for attitude towards the voluntary reporting system of medical errors. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 20, independent t-test, chi - square and ANOVA. According to the results of the study, 87.9% (80 participants) of the managers encountered reporting of errors in their workplace. 68.1% (62 participants) of the managers had a positive attitude toward the voluntary system of medical errors and 16.15 % (15 participants) had a negative attitude and 15.38% (14 participants) were indifferent. According to the results of the research, more than 68.1 % of managers have a positive attitude towards the voluntary reporting of medical errors and with the necessary measures a suitable platform for launching the voluntary reporting system of medical errors in the treatment centers can be provided.
Omid Asemani, Zahra Javadi, Seddigheh Ebrahimi,
Volume 13, Issue 0 (3-2020)
Abstract
Regarding how to make decisions on the revelation of medical errors done by colleagues, investigation of physicians' points of view particularly those in educational settings could help the improvement of circumstances to which we encounter medical errors and thus respecting patient's rights. This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted through a researcher-made questionnaire after performing face and content validaty and determination of internal and external reliability. The viewpoint of 40 attending physicians and 112 medical residents from different specialties about their inclination to disclose errors, the results of disclosure, the factors influencing on nondisclosure, and the factors decreasing medical errors were asked. Data were analyzed using SPSS v.21. Mean scores of 15.2±1.3 for attending and 12.56±2.05 for residents regarding the dimension of "inclination to disclose others' medical error"; and mean scores of 7.55±0.677 for attending and 9.09±2.01 for residents in terms of "inclination to NOT disclose" were differed significantly (p<0.001). Participants declared the head of medical department/ward as the best authority for managing and dealing with medical errors as the best approach for disclosure of the errors through attendance of the senior physician accompanied by the physician who has made the error. Urban general physicians, nurses, and first-year residents were reported with the most frequency of the errors. The data can be used for the promotion of the patient's rights and the perspective of the medical team when encountering errors done by a colleague, rightfully, and protectively. Building cultural, legal, and social contexts will be the mission of the educational-medical settings aimed at making possible a scientific and skillful error disclosure.
Nafiseh Momeni, Mojgan Alaeddini, Shahroo Etemad-Moghadam,
Volume 16, Issue 1 (3-2023)
Abstract
Various decision-making dilemmas arise for clinician in their practice, and one such dilemma involves dealing with medical or dental errors. Despite efforts to minimize errors and prevent harm to patients, complications arising from diagnostic or therapeutic mistakes can sometimes be irreversible. In such situations, it is crucial for dentists to engage in ethical encounters with their patients and investigate the root cause of the error. In this study, an approach was suggested for the management of detection of diagnostic error in pathology using the World Dental Federation ethical decision-making model.
Faezeh Rostamian, Fatemeh Khosravi,
Volume 17, Issue 0 (12-2024)
Abstract
Reporting medication errors is essential for improving patient safety and enhancing the quality of nursing care. By identifying and reducing medical and treatment errors, reporting helps foster better care practices. However, various barriers prevent nurses from reporting errors, allowing mistakes to persist in clinical environments. This study aims to identify the barriers to medication error reporting among nurses in Iran through a narrative review. This narrative review involved searching articles from several databases, including ScienceDirect, PubMed, SID, Scopus, CINAHL, Magiran, and Google Scholar, using keywords such as "nurses," "barriers to reporting," "causes of non-reporting," "medication errors," "drug mistakes," "Iran," and their English equivalents. Research articles in both Persian and English, published between 2011 and 2024, which focused on barriers to medication error reporting among nurses in Iran and offered full-text access, were selected for review. Initially, 67 articles were identified. After reviewing the titles, abstracts, and in some cases, full texts, 23 articles were selected and analyzed based on their alignment with the research aim. The review revealed that barriers to reporting medication errors among nurses in Iran are influenced by individual, organizational, and cultural factors. Individual barriers include fear of legal and professional consequences, concerns about negative impacts on performance evaluations, and fear of being labeled incompetent. Organizational barriers consist of workload pressures, lack of time, inefficient reporting systems, and a lack of support from managers and colleagues. Additionally, a weak safety culture in hospitals and insufficient training on the importance of error reporting further hinder the reporting process. The findings of this study indicate that barriers to reporting medication errors among nurses in Iran are primarily due to individual, organizational, and cultural factors. To address these barriers, it is crucial for hospital administrators and healthcare system officials to provide appropriate training and foster a supportive environment that encourages error reporting. Regular training sessions, coupled with positive, non-judgmental feedback on error reporting, can enhance nurses' trust in the reporting system. Strengthening reporting systems and cultivating a safety culture with active involvement from both nurses and administrators will not only improve the quality of nursing care but also reduce medication errors.
