Examining the Relationship Among Ambulatory Surgical Settings Work Environment, Nurses’ Characteristics, and Medication Errors Reporting

PurposeTo describe work environment characteristics (leadership style and safety climate) of ambulatory surgical settings and to examine the relationship between work environment and nurses' willingness to report medication errors in ambulatory surgical settings.DesignDescriptive correlational design using survey methodology.MethodsThe sample of this study consisted of 40 unit-based registered nurses, working as full time, part time, or as needed in four ambulatory surgical settings affiliated with one health care system located in Northeast Ohio.FindingsThe results of two separate regression analyses, one with three nurse manager's leadership styles and another with five safety climate dimensions as independent variables, explained 44% and 50%, respectively, on variance of nurses' willingness to report medication errors.ConclusionTo increase nurses' willingness to report medication errors, ambulatory surgical settings administrators should invest in nurse manager leadership training programs and focus on enhancing safety climate aspects, particularly errors feedback and organizational learning.