The article entitled “Factors affecting nursing students’ intention to report medication errors: An application of the theory of planned behavior” by Natan, Sharon, Mahajna, M. and Mahajna, S. (2017) discusses factors that determine the level of reporting of medical mistakes by nursing students. The authors look in-depth at the theory of planned behavior and make conclusions whether it helps predict students’ intention to confide mistakes (Natan et al., 2017). The grounds for this study lie in the fact that the level of malpractice in nursing has remained high over the years. Nursing students are often afraid to report mistakes related to medicines, which leads to inadequate treatment of patients. The method used in the article is a self-report questionnaire based on the theory of planned behavior. Two hundred and fifty students answered the questions posed; conclusions were made based on their answers. The study was anonymous to exclude any possibility of misinformation.
The results showed that nursing students’ intention to report medication mistakes was high (78%), even when there was no harm done to the patient (Natan et al., 2017). However, most students were not ready to assume responsibility for their mistakes, stating that it was the obligation of the department’s head nurse to identify the causes of errors (Natan et al., 2017). Moreover, the students noted that regular reporting of mistakes might make the public lose trust in the medical profession (Natan et al., 2017).
The study showed that the most typical reason for non-reporting was social pressure from students’ mentors and classmates. In medical institutions where the level of support from mentors was high, and students were not punished for mistakes, the level of reporting mistakes was higher than in other medical organizations (Natan et al., 2017). The authors conclude that the anticipated adverse reaction to mistakes often prevents students from reporting and suggest nurse educators demonstrate a positive attitude to students who report their errors (Natan et al., 2017). Another crucial factor is education through nursing courses on the importance of reporting mistakes.
Reference
Natan, M. B., Sharon, I., Mahajna, M., & Mahajna, S. (2017). Factors affecting nursing students’ intention to report medication errors: An application of the theory of planned behavior. Nurse Education Today, 58, 38-42.