Errors in veterinary practice: preliminary lessons for building better veterinary teams

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Healthcare Management
• Human Factors Engineering

Background:

• Effective teamwork is vital in veterinary practices for optimal patient care.
• Interprofessional collaboration among veterinary surgeons, nurses, and administrators presents unique challenges.
• Understanding error sources is key to improving veterinary service delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore teamwork dynamics within UK veterinary practices.
• To identify the types and causes of errors occurring in veterinary settings.
• To investigate challenges in interprofessional veterinary teamworking.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative case studies conducted in two UK veterinary practices.
• Involved direct observation of teams and shadowing of key personnel.
• Utilized semi-structured interviews to gather in-depth insights on teamwork and errors.

Main Results:

• Forty instances of errors were identified, categorized as clinical, lost item, and communication errors.
• Communication errors were the most frequent, including issues with records and interpersonal interactions.
• System faults, alongside individual mistakes, were significant contributors to errors.
• Challenges to interprofessional teamwork included time constraints, staff turnover, and differing work preferences.

Conclusions:

• Systemic issues and communication breakdowns are primary drivers of errors in veterinary practices.
• Addressing challenges in interprofessional collaboration is essential for error reduction.
• Findings offer insights for enhancing veterinary team performance and patient safety.