Pharmacists’ perceptions of error reporting systems

Background Healthcare-related adverse events directly impact patient safety. Effective reporting of adverse events and workplace factors affecting the quality and quantity of reporting has been a recent focus. In Nova Scotia, pharmacists have been required to report quality-related events (QREs), errors, and near misses since 2010 through the Canadian Pharmacy Incident Reporting (CPhIR) database. This study aims to better understand how healthcare professionals who use the CPhIR system feel about their experience with QREs and the QRE reporting process. Methods A total of 1000 registered pharmacists and staff were contacted through the Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists. Five focus group meetings were conducted from May to October 2018, consisting of 17 community pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and assistants. Analysis Thematic analysis was used to identify and define emerging themes in the transcripts by multiple readers. The Actor-Network Analytical Theory helped draw a web of connections in producing a safety culture that extends beyond the roles at the dispensing counter. Results It was found that participants were committed to minimizing and reporting errors, but using the CPhIR database system is both time-consuming and onerous. Additionally, there was a lack of continuity in communicating the QRE system protocols and compliance protocols for the system. Conclusions Community-based pharmacy culture needs to shift from a compliance-based culture, where error reporting is based on completion and volume, to a just culture that embraces quality and learning from mistakes, a critical element of safe dispensing.