A National Study Links Nurses' Physical and Mental Health to Medical Errors and Perceived Worksite Wellness. Issue 2 (February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Melnyk, Bernadette Mazurek; Orsolini, Liana; Tan, Alai; Arslanian-Engoren, Cynthia; Melkus, Gail D'Eramo; Dunbar-Jacob, Jacqueline; Rice, Virginia Hill; Millan, Angelica; Dunbar, Sandra B.; Braun, Lynne T.; Wilbur, JoEllen; Chyun, Deborah A.; Gawlik, Kate; Lewis, Lisa M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 60:Issue 2(2018)
• Publication Date: 2018-02
• Subjects: Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Occupational Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental health; Medicine, Industrial; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001198
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-2752

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: The aim of this study was to describe (1) nurses' physical and mental health; (2) the relationship between health and medical errors; and (3) the association between nurses' perceptions of wellness support and their health. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted with 1790 nurses across the U.S. Results: Over half of the nurses reported suboptimal physical and mental health. Approximately half of the nurses reported having medical errors in the past 5 years. Compared with nurses with better health, those with worse health were associated with 26% to 71% higher likelihood of having medical errors. There also was a significant relationship between greater perceived worksite wellness and better health. Conclusion: Wellness must be a high priority for health care systems to optimize health in clinicians to enhance high-quality care and decrease the odds of costly preventable medical errors. Abstract : Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text