Perception of Patient Safety, Quality Improvement and Nursing Errors Issues among Undergraduate Nursing Students in Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Egypt

Approximately 50,000-100,000 patients die from medical and nursing errors annually in the USA [14]. Incidents are under reported and it is hard to know the exact prevalence of death and adverse events from medical and nurses' errors. Purpose: This study is intended to describe the perception of undergraduate nursing students regarding the patient safety, quality improvement and nursing errors issues before entering the clinical practice. The research question was what are the perception of patient safety, quality improvement and nursing errors issues among undergraduate nursing students. Methods: A descriptive design was utilized in this study. A convenience sample of 100 adult male and female nursing students was chosen from first year students in the faculty of nursing in Faculty of nursing, Alexandria University, Egypt. Data was collected through one tool: used for data collection consisted of three parts. Results: The results revealed that in relation students’ sex, the highest percentage was female 62.0 %, all students were first year in the faculty of nursing. Regarding nursing students’ previous knowledge about patient safety, 21.0% of nursing students have no knowledge while 40.0% of them have knowledge from the internet and lectures in the college (14.0%). In relation to nursing students’ previous knowledge about nursing errors, 30.0% of them have no knowledge while 32.0% have knowledge from the internet. On the other hand, 5.0% have knowledge from informal lectures. Regarding the level of awareness of patient safety and nursing errors, the nursing students rate their knowledge as 41% of them agreed regarding different types of nursing error while 8% strongly disagreed as well as disagree. Furthermore, 47% of nursing students agreed that factors were contributing to nursing error while 7% strongly disagreed. As regard factors influencing patient safety, 40% agreed while 3% strongly disagreed. In addition, 38% of them agreed on the ways of speaking up about the error, but only 2% strongly disagreed. On the other hand, 32% disagreed how to report a nursing error while 29% were neutral the role of health care institutions in error reporting. Firstly, regarding patient safety and nursing errors, 45.0 % of nursing students agreed that most health care practitioners make errors while 6.0% strongly disagreed. 38.0% of them agreed that nursing errors are very common while 7.0% were strongly disagreed. On the other hand, 30.0% of nursing students disagreed that blame someone rather than focus on the causes of error is easy while 4.0% strongly agree. 42.0% of nursing students agreed that it is unusual for patients to be given the wrong drug while 12.0% were strongly disagreed. In addition, 48.0% of nursing students agreed that telling others about an error is easy while 4.0% were strongly disagreed. Regarding nursing students’ perceptions about filling in reporting forms will help to improve patient safety, 48.0% and 64.0% were strongly agreed that learning from mistakes could prevent incidents. In addition, 41.0% agreed that concentrating on the causes of incidents could contribute to patient safety. As well as 40.0% agreed that learning how to recognize and deal with errors before the clinical clerkship is important and 38.0 % strongly agreed on the importance of learning how to recognize and deal with errors before the graduation from the nursing school. Secondly, in relation to the quality improvement, 29.0% of nursing students were neutral regarding the meaning of quality improvement in health care, and 36.0 % were neutral about the awareness of what are the clinical quality indicators. In addition, 37.0% strongly agreed the importance of quality improvement for their future as a nurse while 3.0% strongly disagreed 48.0% of nursing students agreed that quality improvement efforts could increase the quality and effectiveness of care while 13.0% were neutral. In addition, 43.0%agreed that is learning about quality by the end of nursing school is important. The majority of nursing students (95%) were preferred the formal course about the patient safety, nursing errors and quality improvement. As regard, nursing students thinking about the formal method for teaching courses for patient safety, nursing errors and quality improvement, 98.95 % of students were rate the lecture method as very helpful for patient safety and nursing errors while 92.64 % reported that lecturer is very helpful for quality improvement. The seminars method was rated as very helpful for patient safety, nursing errors and quality improvement (89.48 % and 83.16 %) respectively. In conclusion, quality and safety education for nurses (QSEN) addresses the challenge of preparing nurses with the competencies necessary to continuously improve the quality and safety of the health care systems in which they work for pre-licensure education are appropriate goals for students preparing for basic practice as a registered nurse. Undergraduates nurses should be educated to deliver patient centered care as members of an interdisciplinary team emphasizing evidence based practice quality improvement approaches. [Heba Abdel Mowla Ahmed, Eman Abdel Aziz Perception of Patient Safety, Quality Improvement and Nursing Errors Issues among Undergraduate DOI: 10.9790/1959-0603018395 www.iosrjournals. org 84 | Page Ahmed, Yasmin Fathy. Perception of Patient Safety, Quality Improvement and Nursing Errors Issues among Undergraduate Nursing Students in Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Egypt].