Do EMS Personnel Identify, Report, and Disclose Medical Erro

[Ace844]

(Prehospital Emergency Care

Publisher: Taylor & Francis Health Sciences @ part of the Taylor & Francis Group

Issue: Volume 10, Number 1 / January-March 2006

Pages: 21 - 27

URL: Linking Options

DOI: 10.1080/10903120500366011

Do EMS Personnel Identify, Report, and Disclose Medical Errors?

Cherri Hobgood A1, Josie Barnes Bowen A1, Jane H. Brice A1, Barbara Overby A1, Joshua H. Tamayo-Sarver A1

A1 Department of Emergency Medicine, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina)

Abstract:

Objective. To evaluate self-reports of prehospital providers' error frequency, disclosure, and reporting in their actual practice and in hypothetical scenarios. Methods. The authors surveyed a convenience sample of prehospital providers attending a statewide emergency medical services conference using a two-part instrument. Part 1 evaluated respondent demographics and actual practice patterns. Part 2 used hypothetic scenarios to assess error identification, disclosure, and reporting patterns. Descriptive statistics and Fisher's exact tests were used to characterize demographics and practice patterns. For hypothetical scenarios, the authors calculated mean responses with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to assess error identification, anticipated disclosure, and reporting patterns. Results. The response rate was 88% (372/425). Analysis was limited to 283 (75% of 372) respondents who were emergency medical technicians and had complete data. In the previous year, 157 (55%) providers identified no errors in practice, 100 (35%) reported one or two errors, and 26 (9%) identified more than two errors. In approximately half of cases, identified errors were reported to the receiving provider, or supervisor. In hypothetical cases, severe errors were identified 93% (95% CI 92–94) of the time, but the ability of providers to identify mild errors significantly varied. In all scenarios, respondents were much more likely to report errors to the receiving hospital, their supervisor, and their medical director than to patients. Conclusions. Prehospital providers demonstrate the capacity to identify, report, and, to a lesser extent, disclose errors in hypothetical scenarios but may not apply these skills uniformly in their own practices. Enhancing error management skills in prehospital clinical practice will require focused education and training.

[Just Plain Ruff]

It's not easy to report medication errors that you yourself have done but it has to be done.

I've reported 3 errors in 15 years of practice.

I've also reported medication errors on people who refused to report them themselves.

[streetsmart]

All medications errors should be reported!

Remember we were all taught in paramedic class that with all medication orders we were to repeat that order back to the physician/R.N. to verify to avoid mistakes. Then we got to the real world of standing orders and there was no one to report the order back to for verification - it's called trust and good judgment. In not reporting a medication error we violate that trust with poor judgment.

I believe that as EMS Professionals we have to "police" ourselves to ensure we are providing quality patient care. If we don't do it, perhaps someone else will.