Medical Error Types and Causes Made by Nurses in Turkey

Abstract

AIM: This study was carried out as a descriptive study in order to determine types, causes and prevalence of medical errors made by nurses in Turkey. METHOD: Seventy eight (78) nurses who have worked in a randomly selected hospital from five hospitals in Giresun city centre were enrolled in the study. The data was collected by the researchers using the ‘Information Form for Nurses’ and ‘Medical Error Form’. The Medical Error Form consists of 2 parts and 40 items including types and causes of medical errors. Nurses’ socio-demographic variables, medical error types and causes were evaluated using the percentage distribution and mean. RESULTS: The mean age of the nurses was 25.5 years, with a standard deviation 6.03 years. 50% of the nurses graduated health professional high school in the study. 53.8% of the nurses are single, 63.1% worked between 1-5 years, 71.8% day and night shifts and 42.3% in medical clinics. The common types of medical errors were hospital infection rate of 15.4%, diagnostic errors 12.8%, needle or cutting tool injuries and problems related to drug usage which has side effects 10.3%. In the study 38.5% of the nurses reported that they thought the cause of medical error highly was tiredness, 36.4% increased workload and 34.6% long working hours. CONCLUSION: As a result of the present study, nurses mentioned hospital infection, diagnostic errors, needle or cutting tool injuries as the most common medical errors and fatigue, over work load and long working hours as the most common medical error reasons.