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New graduate occupational therapists' perceptions of near‐misses and mistakes in the workplace

Michele Clark (Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation and the School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia)
Marion Gray (School of Health and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Science, Health and Education, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Australia)
Jane Mooney (Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia)

International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance

ISSN: 0952-6862

Article publication date: 12 July 2013

1149

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of near‐misses and mistakes among new graduate occupational therapists from Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand (NZ), and their knowledge of current incident reporting systems.

Design/methodology/approach

New graduate occupational therapists in Australia and Aotearoa/NZ in their first year of practice (n=228) participated in an online electronic survey that examined five areas of work preparedness. Near‐misses and mistakes was one focus area.

Findings

The occurrence and disclosure of practice errors among new graduate occupational therapists are similar between Australian and Aotearoa/NZ participants. Rural location, structured supervision and registration status significantly influenced the perceptions and reporting of practice errors. Structured supervision significantly impacted on reporting procedure knowledge. Current registration status was strongly correlated with perceptions that the workplace encouraged event reporting.

Research limitations/ implications

Areas for further investigation include investigating the perceptions and knowledge of practice errors within a broader profession and the need to explore definitional aspects and contextual factors of adverse events that occur in allied health settings. Selection bias may be a factor in this study.

Practical implications

Findings have implications for university and workplace structures, such as clinical management, supervision, training about practice errors and reporting mechanisms in allied health.

Originality/value

Findings may enable the development of better strategies for detecting, managing and preventing practice errors in the allied health professions.

Keywords

Citation

Clark, M., Gray, M. and Mooney, J. (2013), "New graduate occupational therapists' perceptions of near‐misses and mistakes in the workplace", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 26 No. 6, pp. 564-576. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHCQA-10-2011-0061

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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