Work-related stressors and occurrence of adverse events in an ED

TY - JOUR

T1 - Work-related stressors and occurrence of adverse events in an ED

AU - Nielsen, Kent Jacob

AU - Pedersen, Anne H

AU - Rasmussen, Kurt

AU - Pape, Louise

AU - Mikkelsen, Kim L

N1 - Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between 12 work-related stressors and the occurrence of adverse events in an emergency department (ED).METHODS: Nurses and physicians, working in an ED at a Danish regional hospital, filled out a questionnaire on occurrence and emotional impact of 12 work-related stressors after each shift during a 4-week period. The questionnaire also instructed the participants to describe any adverse events that they were involved in during the shift.RESULTS: Two hundred fourteen adverse events were reported during the 979 studied shifts. During the same period, only 27 adverse events were reported to the mandatory national reporting system, and only 10 of these were duplicates. A high variability of stressors and emotional impact among the different groups of participants was found. Linear regression analysis showed an association between involvement in adverse events and the occurrence and emotional impact of stressors across groups, whereas no significant association was found for age, seniority, shift type, or length.CONCLUSION: The study showed an association between the occurrence and impact of 12 work-related stressors and involvement in adverse events across the groups of participants. Furthermore, the study showed that most adverse events were not reported to the mandatory national reporting system.

AB - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between 12 work-related stressors and the occurrence of adverse events in an emergency department (ED).METHODS: Nurses and physicians, working in an ED at a Danish regional hospital, filled out a questionnaire on occurrence and emotional impact of 12 work-related stressors after each shift during a 4-week period. The questionnaire also instructed the participants to describe any adverse events that they were involved in during the shift.RESULTS: Two hundred fourteen adverse events were reported during the 979 studied shifts. During the same period, only 27 adverse events were reported to the mandatory national reporting system, and only 10 of these were duplicates. A high variability of stressors and emotional impact among the different groups of participants was found. Linear regression analysis showed an association between involvement in adverse events and the occurrence and emotional impact of stressors across groups, whereas no significant association was found for age, seniority, shift type, or length.CONCLUSION: The study showed an association between the occurrence and impact of 12 work-related stressors and involvement in adverse events across the groups of participants. Furthermore, the study showed that most adverse events were not reported to the mandatory national reporting system.

KW - Adult

KW - Denmark

KW - Emergency Service, Hospital

KW - Health Care Surveys

KW - Health Surveys

KW - Humans

KW - Linear Models

KW - Mandatory Reporting

KW - Medical Errors

KW - Medical Staff, Hospital

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Nursing Staff, Hospital

KW - Patient Safety

KW - Questionnaires

KW - Stress, Psychological

U2 - 10.1016/j.ajem.2012.10.002

DO - 10.1016/j.ajem.2012.10.002

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 23347716

SN - 0735-6757

VL - 31

SP - 504

EP - 508

JO - American Journal of Emergency Medicine

JF - American Journal of Emergency Medicine

IS - 3

ER -