Patient and staff safety: voluntary reporting

Central to efforts to assure the quality of patient care in hospitals is having accurate data about quality and patient problems. The purpose was to describe the reporting rates of medication administration errors (MAE), patient falls, and occupational injuries. A questionnaire was distributed to staff nurses (N = 1105 respondents) in a national sample of 25 hospitals. This addressed voluntary reporting, work environment factors, and reasons for not reporting occurrences. More than 80% indicated that all MAEs should be reported, but only 36% indicated that near misses should be reported. Perceived levels of actual reporting were: 47% of MAEs, 77% of patient falls, 48% of needlesticks, 22% of other exposures to body fluids, and 17% of back injuries. Administrative response to reports, personal fears, and unit quality management were related to reporting. Patient and staff safety occurrences are underreported. Strong quality management processes and positive responses to reports of occurrences may increase reporting and enhance safety.