Nurses Should Be Present When Doctors Tell Patients About Errors

from Hospitals & Health Networks ..

By Anonymous

Nurses say they should be but usually are not included in discussions with doctors and patients when serious errors occur in hospitals, according to a report in the The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. Nurses play such a hands-on role at the bedside that patients and their families may be more alarmed when the physician comes alone to disclose that a serious mistake occurred. ""Error disclosure needs to be a team sport," says Sarah E. Shannon, R.N., vice associate dean for academic services in the University of Washington School of Nursing, associate professor of behavioral nursing and health systems at the University of Washington, and lead study author. "This means quickly sharing information among the team about the error what happened, why it occurred, what is being done to mitigate potential harm and prevent future errors, and what the patient has been told, will be told, and when."

The study of nearly 100 nurses found that they talk with patients about errors that are within their control, such as late or missed medications. But it is the attending physician who discloses errors that involve serious harm. The nurses said they would like a role in the disclosure process as a way to both communicate directly with the patient about nursing's role in the event and to avoid being blamed. The study also found low awareness of institutional disclosure policies.-The findings were reported in the January issue of The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. Copyright Health Forum Inc. Feb 2009

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