Exploring Theoretical Frameworks Shaping Healthcare Incident Reporting and Learning Systems: A Scoping Review Protocol

<ns3:p> Introduction Healthcare incident reporting and learning systems (HIRLs) are central to patient safety and quality improvement. While there is much attention paid to the design and content architecture, there is less attention paid to the underpinning rationale of why a HIRL is needed and how it will be used in practice. The aim of this scoping review (ScR) is to identify and synthesise the theoretical frameworks that inform the design, implementation, and evaluation of HIRLs in order to develop a comprehensive map of the theoretical underpinnings currently in use and to consider how these may shape future practice. Methods and analysis This study adopts a scoping review design. It will be conducted following the Arksey and O’Malley framework, guided by the methods manual published by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Reporting will be in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Search strategies will be constructed using the ECLIPSE mnemonic (Expectation; Client group; Location; Impact; Professionals; Service). Electronic databases (OvidMEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO) will be searched from January 2009 until December 2024, grey literature sources, citation tracking, and expert consultation will be utilised. Studies will be included if they discuss the development, implementation, or evaluation of HIRLs in healthcare settings and make explicit use of a theoretical or conceptual framework. Screening will be conducted by two researchers and disagreements agreed by consensus, involving a third researcher if required. Data extraction will include study characteristics, the focus of the HIRL, the theoretical framework(s) used and how they are used. A descriptive analysis will be conducted. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval is not required. Findings will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal and conference proceedings. Registration details This protocol was registered prospectively with the Open Science Framework (OSF). The DOI is <ns3:ext-link xmlns:ns4="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" ns4:href="https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/5UQPE">https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/5UQPE</ns3:ext-link> . </ns3:p>