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Attitudes and beliefs of doctors towards medication error reporting

D. McArdle (Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, Eastern Road, Brighton, UK)
N. Burns (Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, Eastern Road, Brighton, UK)
A. Ireland (Postgraduate Medical School, University of Brighton, Brighton, UK)

International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance

ISSN: 0952-6862

Article publication date: 1 December 2003

1989

Abstract

A sample of 15 hospital doctors, from four clinical specialties within an acute hospital trust, was interviewed. Doctors were questioned on definition of medication errors, causes and methods to reduce errors, importance and knowledge of existing reporting systems and barriers to reporting. All doctors believed that reporting errors were important in order to learn from mistakes but this was not borne out in practice. Clinical incident forms were considered too time‐consuming to complete and “fell into a black hole”, since no feed back was provided. Disciplinary action was not felt to be a barrier to reporting and the need for honesty was essential. Overwork and lack of information led to errors as well as pharmacists making junior doctors lazy prescribers. Where mistakes were made, doctors perceived that, despite a support ethic amongst peers, there was not a no blame culture outside the hospital. The study concluded that errors should be a learning experience but only if relevant and timely feedback is given.

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Citation

McArdle, D., Burns, N. and Ireland, A. (2003), "Attitudes and beliefs of doctors towards medication error reporting", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 16 No. 7, pp. 326-333. https://doi.org/10.1108/09526860310499981

Publisher

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MCB UP Ltd

Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited

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