Medical error tendency levels and associated factors in surgical nurses from different generations

Background/Aim: Since experience is acquired over time, characteristics deriving from intergenerational differences play an important role in medical errors. This study was performed to determine tendency to medical error levels and associated factors in surgical nurses from two different generations (Y and Z). Methods: This cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted with 168 nurses working in a public and a training and research hospital between 1 May and 30 June, 2023, and selected using the random sampling method. A sociodemographic data form and the Medical Error Tendency Scale were employed for data collection. The data analysis was performed with number, percentage, and mean values and using Student’s t test, ANOVA, and Pearson’s correlation analysis. Results: Seventy-two percent of the nurses were from Generation Y. Mean tendency to medical error scores were 231.23 (11.25) in the nurses from Generation Y and 225.59 (11.76) in those from Generation Z. The difference in mean total Medical Error Tendency Scale scores between the two generations was statistically significant (P=0.005). A significant difference in favor of Generation Y was observed in the Medical Error Tendency Scale ‘drug and transfusion practices’ (P=0.006), ‘prevention of infections’ (P=0.004), and ‘patient monitoring and equipment safety’ subdimensions (P=0.008). Nurses who enjoyed working in their clinics and who had sufficient sleep status also registered higher mean Medical Error Tendency Scale scores (P<0.05). Conclusions: The nurses in this study exhibited a moderate tendency to medical error, the difference between the two groups being significantly in favor of Generation Y. Enjoying their work and sufficient sleep status had a positive effect on nurses’ performance by reducing their tendency to medical error.