Healthcare Professionals' Attitudes Toward Diagnostic Medical Errors and Informing Patients: A Cross Sectional Study
نویسندگان
1 Assistant Professor of Medical Ethics, Department of Medical Ethics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor of Forensic Medicine, Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Razi Hospital, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rash, Iran
3 Ph.D of Business Administration, Razi Clinical Research Development Unit, Rasht, Iran
4 Associate Professor of Medical Ethics, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
5 Student Research Committee, Faculty of Pharmacy, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
doi
10.22038/ebcj.2025.84653.3073چکیده
Background: Medication errors can cause morbidity and mortality. The reporting system for medication errors can prevent harms to patients.Aim: The present study was conducted with aim to assess the healthcare professionals' attitudes toward medical errors and informing patients in Guilan province, Iran.Method: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on 140 health care professionals (physicians, Nurses). Data collection tool was a the researcher's checklist consisting of two parts: demographic information and self-reported attitude towards medical errors. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 21) and Mann–Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. p<0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: The mean age of participants was 29.19±6.53 years. The Kruskal-Wallis test revealed statistically significant associations between education level (p=0.001) and profession (p=0.001) and attitudes toward medical errors. Doctors demonstrated the most favorable attitudes toward medical errors followed by medical students and nurses. Conversely, Mann–Whitney test showed no significant correlations between attitudes and gender, marital status, or age (p>0.05).Implications for Practice: Fundamental challenges in healthcare, such as transparency and accountability, require systemic solutions. Addressing these issues demands targeted educational initiatives and policy reforms to foster a culture of safety, where healthcare providers are empowered to learn from errors rather than fear punitive consequences.
