The TERCAP Tool: Investigation of Nursing Errors in Greek Hospitals
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Published:2024-08-13
Issue:1
Volume:1
Page:131-148
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ISSN:2813-4524
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Container-title:Hospitals
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language:en
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Short-container-title:Hospitals
Author:
Pappa Despoina1ORCID, Evangelou Eleni1, Koutelekos Ioannis1, Dousis Evangelos1ORCID, Margari Nikoletta1ORCID, Toulia Georgia1, Stavropoulou Areti1ORCID, Koreli Alexandra1, Theodoratou Maria23ORCID, Bilali Aggeliki4, Chasaki Konstantina5, Zartaloudi Afroditi1ORCID, Dafogianni Chrysoula1
Affiliation:
1. Department of Nursing, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece 2. Department of Psychology, Hellenic Open University, 26335 Patras, Greece 3. Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Neapolis University Pafos, 8042 Pafos, Cyprus 4. Department of Nursing, Children’ s Hospital “P. & A. Kyriakou”, 11527 Athens, Greece 5. Department of Nursing, General Hospital of Lefkada, 31100 Lefkada, Greece
Abstract
Background: Errors are a common occurrence in all healthcare settings, and the safety of patients is a critical concern that involves multiple factors, including the complex and demanding nature of nursing practice. Nurses, due to their continuous and direct patient care, play a pivotal role in ensuring patient safety. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the factors that contribute to errors from the perspectives of nurses in Greek hospitals, with a focus on understanding the challenges they face in their daily practice. Methods: Clinical nurses willingly and anonymously filled out a specific structured questionnaire, the Taxonomy of Error, Root Cause Analysis, and Practice-responsibility (TERCAP) tool that describes the conditions under which an error during clinical practice occurred. The study method included convenience sampling. After obtaining permission, questionnaires were distributed to hospital departments. To accommodate pandemic-related restrictions, an electronic version of the questionnaire was also created for distribution and collection. Analysis of data was accomplished via SPSS 26.0. Results: Five hundred and ninety-seven clinical nurses participated anonymously, reporting errors in almost seven out of ten cases, often attributing them to high workload and staff shortages. Errors were commonly reported during different shifts in this study. Factors such as assigning significant responsibilities to inexperienced staff and inadequate implementation guidelines were highlighted. Conclusions: The in-depth study of nursing errors provides a nuanced understanding of their causes by categorizing them based on various factors. It emphasizes the complexity of challenges and the need to integrate systemic, clinical, and individual factors into intervention strategies, including medication protocols, ongoing training, clear communication, administrative support, and fostering an open communication culture.
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