219710 Predictors of Home Health Nurses Changes in Practice after Experiencing Care Errors

Wednesday, November 10, 2010 : 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM

Said Abusalem, PhD , School of Nursing, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
Heather Hardin, MSN, PHD Student , School of Nursing, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
     
The purpose of this study was to assess the predictors of positive coping strategies that lead to positive changes in the way they practice following the error experience. .

A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted to assess how home health nurses responded to errors. Packets containing sealed surveys, a flier, and a description of the study were mailed to the nurses. Backward stepwise regression was used to identify predictors of constructive and defensive ways of practice as a result of making a care error. A response rate of 53% (203 surveys) was attained.

The most important nurses changes in practice due to the care error were: pay more attention to details, personally confirming data, and changing organization of data. Results of the study on home health nurses' predictors (N = 203) of constructive practice changes were accepting responsibility, inexperience, seeking social support, and emotional self-control. These predictors accounted for 34.7% of the variance of constructive changes in practice after the care error experience.

Managers of home healthcare need to support and foster positive coping strategies that leads to constructive changes in practice. Further patient safety studies are needed concerning type of agency supportive response and its effect on nurses coping and changes in clinical practice.

Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadership
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Occupational health and safety
Other professions or practice related to public health
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related nursing

Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to identify; 1. Types of care errors and it relationship with other practice factors in home care. 2. Positive changes in practice (home health care) in the aftermath of a cre error. 3. Factors and positive coping Strategies nurses use to deal with care errors.

Keywords: Practice-Based Research, Workforce

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: the auther and PI researcher
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 5107.0: Community-Based Long-Term Care