CE: Original Research: Exploring How Nursing Schools Handle Student Errors and Near Misses.

Abstract

This study sought to determine whether prelicensure nursing programs have a policy for reporting and following up on student clinical errors and near misses, a tool for such reporting, a tool or process (or both) for identifying trends, strategies for follow-up with students after errors and near misses, and strategies for follow-up with clinical agencies and individual faculty members. A national electronic survey of 1,667 schools of nursing with a prelicensure registered nursing program was conducted. Data from 494 responding schools (30%) were analyzed. Of the responding schools, 245 (50%) reported having no policy for managing students following a clinical error or near miss, and 272 (55%) reported having no tool for reporting student errors or near misses. Significant work is needed if the principles of a fair and just culture are to shape the response to nursing student errors and near misses. For nursing schools, some essential first steps are to understand the tools and policies a school has in place; the school's philosophy regarding errors and near misses; the resources needed to establish a fair and just culture; and how faculty can work together to create learning environments that eliminate or minimize the negative consequences of errors and near misses for patients, students, and faculty.