A Study on Factors Affecting Near Misses by Nurses in Small-Medium Sized Hospitals

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of the near miss by nurses in small-medium hospitals and to identify the factors that affect the near miss. Methods: Data were collected using a structured questionnaire for small-medium sized hospital nurses who had worked for more than one year. A total of 243 questionnaires were used for analysis. The difference in the characteristics of the nurses according to the near miss experience was analyzed by the x 2 test, and the influence factor of the near miss was analyzed by logistic regression. Results: Overall, 155 nurses (63.8%) experienced near misses during the previous 1 year. Among those who experienced a near miss, the medication-related error was the highest at 58.3%. As a result of the stepwise logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio over time work of over 3 hours increased near misses 2.48 (95% CI: 1.21~5.08) compared to the group without overtime. Conclusion: Overtime work seems to be a significant factor in the near miss experience for small-medium hospital nurses.