Medical Error in the Canadian Healthcare System: Role Ambiguity, Accountability, and Communicatio

Academic and patient-safety research has focused on understanding the incidence and the factors that influence hospital medical error and adverse events. Research has shown that medical error is a result of both system and human factors with medical error recently reported as the third leading cause of death in the United States (James, 2013). In order to meet increasing system and patient care demands, healthcare traditional roles have been reorganized, reconstructed, or renewed. Studies of role reveal improved care outcomes, conversely, new roles have created conflict, role patchwork, and role ambiguity. Uncertainty of role expectations may lead to lack of clarity, ultimately impacting patient care through care inconsistency. Care inconsistency may influence medical error rates.;The purpose of this study was to deepen our understanding of role perception across two healthcare professional groups working in a quaternary healthcare center. Interviewed physicians and nurse practitioners participants (n=20) shared their experience of role and medical error. Clinical role was predominant in the nurse practitioner group and provided the greatest personal satisfaction. Nurse practitioners experienced significant role burden. The physician group found satisfaction in a combination of clinical and symbolic roles (e.g., program chair). Each professional group had an understanding of the role of the other professional group. Both professional groups considered lack of role clarity, professional role accountability, care ownership, and poor communication influential in medical error development. There were minimal differences in the reason for error development between the two groups. Exploration of the impact of professional roles in medical error is required in order that healthcare providers continue to improve the care provided to patients.