Factors Influencing Reporting of Medical Errors Amongst Nurses in Pediatric Wards in Three Teaching and Referral Hospitals in Nairobi Kenya.

Abstract

Service delivery is among the six health system strengthening pillars. Successful health services bring about effective, quality, safe, personal and non-personal health care actions to those who need them, where they need them and when required with minimal resource wastage. Medical error is an act of commission or omission that either caused, contributed or had potential to cause or contribute to patient harm. It is a leading challenge in service delivery of emerging international concern. Medical errors are underreported both globally and within Kenya (0.03% and 13%), yet reporting helps in implementing measures which help prevent recurrence, enhance safety and reduce harm. This study aimed to determine factors influencing reporting of medical errors amongst nurses in pediatric wards in three teaching and referral hospitals in Nairobi Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were to determine if nurses’ knowledge on medical errors reporting, management support for medical errors reporting, medical errors reporting systems and organizational safety culture influences reporting of medical errors, all these, amongst nurses in three teaching and referral hospitals in Nairobi Kenya. The study was cross-sectional and utilized both quantitative and qualitative approaches in data collection. Target population was 195 nurses in the three hospitals and the sample size was 131 nurses. Response rate was 88%. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from the nurses using a pretested questionnaire. Key Informant Interview Guide was utilized to collect quantitative data from 3 nurse managers. Data was coded and analyzed using SPSS version 25 and presented in the form of charts and graphs. Results show that nurse knowledge on medical errors χ2 (1, N =115 ) = 4.255, p =.039) , management support on reporting χ2 (1, N =115 ) = 4.671, p = .043) and medical errors reporting systems χ2 (1, N =115 ) = 9.769, p = . 002) had significant association with reporting medical errors.There was no relationship between organization safety culture and reporting medical errors, χ2 (1, N =115 ) = 0.242, p = . 623). This study recommends that nurses’ knowledge on medical errors reporting be promoted through trainings during college/university and during in-service, management to disseminate policies to staff and ensure the same is well understood. Feedback about changes made based on those errors to be communicated to staff and just culture to be embraced in acting on medical errors. Finally, medical error reporting systems to be simplified and made readily accessible.