Related Experiment Videos
Nurses' families' experiences of involvement in nursing errors: A qualitative study
Zahra Mokhtari1, Mohammadali Hosseini1, Hamidreza Khankeh1
1Department of Nursing, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
International Journal of Nursing Sciences
|August 14, 2019
Summary
Medical errors significantly impact nurses' families, causing disruption and distress. This study highlights the need for greater support systems for these families, who are often overlooked.
Area of Science:
- Nursing
- Medical Error Analysis
- Family Studies
Background:
- Medical errors have profound human consequences, with existing research focusing on healthcare staff but neglecting their families.
- The impact on nurses' families, particularly concerning their private lives, remains under-explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore and articulate the lived experiences of nurses' families when a nurse is involved in a medical error.
- To bring attention to the often-ignored consequences of medical errors on the family unit.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative conventional content analysis approach.
- Conducted 20 semi-structured interviews with nurses and their family members involved in medical errors.
- Utilized purposeful sampling and voluntary participation.
Main Results:
- Identified five primary themes: disruption in family functioning, crisis of fear, oppression, damage, and neglect.
- Further detailed these themes through 15 subcategories, illustrating the multifaceted impact on families.
- Revealed significant distress and disruption within the family system.
Conclusions:
- Nursing errors have substantial adverse effects on nurses' families, including disrupted family functioning.
- There is a critical need to acknowledge and support the families of nurses involved in medical errors.
- A supportive culture for these families is essential and currently lacking.