Medical error reporting among physicians and nurses in Uganda

BACKGROUND: Patient safety is a fundamental component of health care quality and medical errors continue to occur, placing patients at risk. Medical error reporting systems could help reduce the errors. PURPOSE: This study assessed “Medical error reporting among Physicians and Nurses in Uganda”. The objectives were; (1) identify the existing medical error reporting systems. (2) Assess the types of medical errors that occurred. (3) Establish factors influencing error reporting. METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive study in Kisubi and Entebbe hospitals between March to August 2013, with quantitative methods. RESULTS: Medical errors occurred in the two hospitals (53.2%), with overdoses (42.9%) leading. Neither hospital had a medical error reporting system. More than two thirds, 42(64.6%), would not report. Almost half, 29(44.6%) believe reporting a medical error is a medical obligation. Majority, 50(76.9%), believed the law does not protect medical error reporting. Not punishing health workers who report medical errors, (53.8%) and ‘training on error reporting (41.70%) are the greatest measures to improve medical error reporting among nurses and physicians respectively. CONCLUSION: Medical errors occur in the two hospitals and there are no reporting systems. Health workers who report medical errors should not be punished.