Defining Adverse Events and Determinants of Medical Errors in Healthcare

Abstract

The concept of error typically regards an action, not its outcome, and its meaning becomes clear when separated into categories (medical error, nurse perceptions of (medication) error, diagnostic error). One wrong action may or may not lead to an adverse event either because the abovementioned action did not cause any serious damage to patients' health condition or because it was promptly detected and corrected. The concept of error, on the contrary, which is used alternatively in the study, refers to the adverse outcome of an action. The responsibility for the emergence of errors in healthcare systems is shared among the nature of the healthcare system that is governed by organizational and functional complexity, the multifaceted and uncertain nature of medical science, and the imperfections of human nature. Medical errors should be examined as errors of the healthcare system, in order to identify their root causes and develop preventive measures. The main aims of this chapter are the following: (1) to understand medical errors and adverse events and define the terms that describe them; and (2) the most excellent way to comprehend how medical errors and adverse events occur and how to prevent them. Moreover it makes clear their classification and their determinants.

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“…The respondents were of opinion that all medicines have the tendency to produce adverse effects and hence errors are inevitable. Our findings are parallel to what is reported by Kapaki et al The authors highlighted that healthcare professionals often oversight MEs during planning and execution of healthcare provision, and that contributes to impairment of patient's health in particular and health system in general ( 50 ).…”

Perceptions of patient safety culture among emergency room nurses in Jordanian accredited hospitals

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