Management of Errors by Nursing Administration in Greek Hospitals.

Background: Nursing errors are a frequent occurrence in healthcare, often influenced by the demanding nature of clinical practice, high workload, and systemic factors. Nurses play a pivotal role in patient safety, yet the role of nursing administration in managing errors and implementing corrective...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:International Journal of Caring Sciences Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 132 - 141
Autores principales: Pappa, Despoina, Evangelou, Eleni, Koutelekos, Ioannis, Toulia, Georgia, Stavropoulou, Areti, Papageorgiou, Dimitrios, Dafogianni, Chrysoula
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: International Journal of Caring Sciences Jan-Apr2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:Background: Nursing errors are a frequent occurrence in healthcare, often influenced by the demanding nature of clinical practice, high workload, and systemic factors. Nurses play a pivotal role in patient safety, yet the role of nursing administration in managing errors and implementing corrective actions remains underexplored. Aim: This study examined how Greek hospital nursing administrations manage reported nursing errors, using the TERCAP tool for structured data. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 597 clinical nurses from five tertiary hospitals in Greece (Nov 2020-Nov 2023). Data was gathered using the TERCAP questionnaire (paper/electronic) and analyzed with SPSS 26.0. Results: Errors were reported by 69.7% of nurses, with 48.5% accepting personal responsibility. Main contributing factors were high workload (82.9%) and staff shortages (74.6%). Administrative responses included no action (44.4%), verbal unit recommendations (20.8%), corrective training (10.4%), and rare disciplinary actions (3.7%). Nurses noted poor orientation, limited training, and weak administrative support. Conclusion: Nursing administrations in Greek hospitals show limited structured intervention in error management. The findings call for non-punitive protocols, ongoing education, and supportive leadership to foster a safety culture and improve patient outcomes.