What Do Parents Think of Medical Errors?

• Published in: International journal of caring sciences Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 379 - 385
• Main Authors: Bektas, Ilknur, Yardimci, Figen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nicosia Professor Despina Sapountzi - Krepia Publisher of the International Journal of Caring Sciences 01-01-2018
• Subjects: Human error; Medical errors; Patient safety; Studies; Istanbul Turkey; Turkey; United States > US
• ISSN: 1791-5201; 1792-037X

In its reports on "medical errors" and "patient safety and health care quality", the Institute of Medicine dealt with two significant problems in health care environments. The purpose of study is to identify the views of parents with children aged three to six years old concerning medical errors. The sample was comprised of 301 parents. 9.3% of parent encountered a medical error. The data for the study were collected through "the Descriptive Form for Parents" and "The Parents' Perceptions of Medical Errors Form." The scenarios for the study were prepared in reference to the medical errors on which the Third Specialized Board of the Council of Forensic Science had expressed an opinion and to other scenarios whose validity had already been tested in other similar studies. Case 1 was viewed as an example of a medical error by 91.7% of the parents. Out of these parents, 77.9% considered it as a severe/serious error. As for Case 2, 95% of the participants viewed it as an example of a medical error. Parents who considered a case as an example of a medical error were more likely to desire disclosure and reporting.