Risk Management has set back nursing 15 years

[nellwolfe]

In my insitution Risk Management has repeatedly stated that staff are encouraged to report errors so that the error can be reviewed as a "systems issue" and appropriate interventions to prevent a repeat can be implemented. A few months ago 2 long-experienced nurses made a terrible mistake with fatal consequences to the patient. Since that time, nearly every situation, even those which nursing staff and nursing management do not deem as errors, are being reviewed by VPs with little to no recent bedside Nursing experience. Nearly every review has resulted in institution of the progressive disciplinary process. This even when nursing unit management has stated that the nurse did nothing wrong. With the grapevine being intact, such VP decisions are communicated throughout the institution with the result being that virtually NO "close calls", "marginal outcomes", or "near misses" are being voluntarily reported. Nurses have become silent and self-protectve because they perceive their hospital administration as looking for a "blame target". Such VP reactivity has set staff trust and reporting back 15 years. And the worst part is that the VPs don't even know it is happening!