Nurses' experiences with patient safety incidents in long-term care

As the needs of the aging Canadian population continue to rise and increase the demands for resources in long-term care (LTC), emphasis on ensuring resident safety is required. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe nurses’ experiences with patient safety incidents (PSIs) involving LTC residents. This research study was underpinned by the Canadian Incident Analysis Framework (Canadian Patient Safety Institute [CPSI], 2012) and psychological safety (Edmondson, 2004). Two registered nurses and seven registered practical nurses working in LTC homes participated in the research interviews. Overall, three main categories emerged from the content analysis, including (a) commitment to resident safety, (b) workplace culture and (c) emotional reaction. Providing nurses with an opportunity to share their PSI experiences can provide management of what influences resident safety at the frontline. Study findings could inform the development of workplace learning initiatives to support PSI identification and management.