Issue 8 | SCO Spring/Summer 2024 Issue 8 | Page 23

BIC Trend

Errors of Omission in Nursing Care : How to Lower the Risks

6 strategies to help increase patient safety in nursing

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A review of 42 studies showed that 55 % to 98 % of nurses surveyed said they “ missed one or more items of required care .” 1 Maybe this shouldn ’ t be a surprise : Other studies show that low nurse staffing levels were significantly associated with higher reports of missed care , 2 or errors of omission . And most hospitals are hurting for nurses .
While nursing shortages have been an issue for years , they ’ ve only gotten worse since the COVID-19 pandemic . Approximately 100,000 registered nurses ( RNs ) left the workforce during the pandemic due to stress , burnout and retirements . And another 610,388 RNs reported an “ intent to leave ” the workforce by 2027 . 3
It is no surprise then that “ preventable harm due to omitted care or treatment ” rounds out the Top 10 Safety Concerns of 2023 , according to a recent Emergency Care Research Institute ( ECRI ) report . 1
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