Factors Influencing Reporting of Medical Errors Amongst Nurses in Pediatric Wards in Three Teaching And Referral Hospitals in Nairobi Kenya
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Date
2022Author
Ngivu, Jane N
Kyalo, Carol Kawila
Muiruri, Lillian
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Service delivery is among the six health system strengthening pillars by World Health Organization. Successful health
services bring about effective, quality, safe, personal and non-personal health care actions or interventions to those
who need them, where they need them and when required with minimal resource wastage. Medical error is unintended
commission or omission or the failure of an action which was planned which cause, or have potential to cause patient
harm. It is a leading challenge in service delivery today and the incidence rates are an emerging international concern.
Medical errors are underreported today, yet reporting helps in implementing measures which help prevent recurrence
thereby enhancing patient safety and reducing harm and suffering. This study aimed at determining factors influencing
reporting of medical errors amongst nurses in paediatric wards in three teaching and referral hospitals in Nairobi Kenya.
The specific objectives of the study were to establish if nurses’ knowledge on medical errors reporting influences
reporting of medical errors, to establish if management support for medical errors reporting influence the reporting, to
establish if medical error reporting systems influence reporting of medical errors and finally to establish if organizational
safety culture influences reporting of medical errors, all these, amongst nurses in three teaching and referral hospitals in
Nairobi Kenya. The study was cross sectional and utilized both quantitative and qualitative approaches in data collection.
The target population comprised of 195 nurses; from Aga Khan University hospital Nairobi, Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital
and Kenyatta National Hospital, all in Nairobi Kenya. Sample size was 131 nurses and response rate was 88%. Quantitative
and qualitative data was collected from the nurses using a pretested questionnaire. Key Informant Interview Guide was
utilized to collect qualitative data from three nurse managers. Data was coded and analysed using SPSS version 25 and
presented in form of charts and graphs. Bivariate analysis showed that nurses’ knowledge on medical errors (p < 0.039),
management support on reporting (p < 0.031), and medical errors reporting systems (p < 0.002), all had significant
association with reporting medical errors in the three facilities. Organizational safety culture however did not, (p = 0.623).
This study recommends that nurses’ knowledge and understanding of medical errors be promoted through trainings;
starting from college and university levels and later during orientation and in-service. Management to disseminate
policies and procedures to staff in their health facilities and ensure the same is well understood and implemented
correctly. In addition, feedback about changes put into place based on those errors need to be communicated to staff in
a timely manner. Additionally, just culture need to be embraced and cultivated to ensure objective approach to medical
errors. Finally, medical error reporting systems to be simplified, made readily accessible and should have capabilities for
anonymous reporting.
Citation
Ngivu JN, Kyalo CK, Muiruri L (2022) Factors Influencing Reporting of Medical Errors Amongst Nurses in Pediatric Wards in Three Teaching and Referral Hospitals in Nairobi Kenya. J Nurs Pract 5(1):398-405Publisher
Journal of Nursing and Practice