Storytelling: An Authentic Approach to Patient Safety Nursing Education

An annual patient safety lecture is offered through a partnership with the local children's hospital. Presentations focus on the personal impact of medical errors, as told by families, patients, and care providers. The human stories of involvement with a medical error expose situations and actions that can lead to adverse clinical events.

Nursing education strategies heighten students' awareness of patient safety policies and guidelines but may not assist students to understand the human impact of medical errors and their role in preventing them.

Storytelling links course content to actual accounts of lived experiences involving medical errors. It promotes reflective learning by prompting students to examine beliefs, challenge assumptions, transform their understanding of concepts, and connect theory to practice.

The annual culture of safety presentation promotes a deeper understanding of the role and responsibility that nurses have in promoting safe clinical practice.