The Relationship Between Medical Error Attitudes of Surgical Nurses and Evidence-Based Work Environment

It is important for health care professionals to use evidence-based practice during  surgical procedures to ensure patient safety and prevent medical errors. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between surgical nurses' perceptions of their work environment's support for evidence-based practice and their attitudes toward medical errors. The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between February and May 2023. A total of 105 nurses participated in the study. A personal information form, a medical errors attitude scale, and an evidence-based practice work environment scale were used to collect the data. It was determined that 92 (87.6%) of the participants used evidence-based practice. It was determined that the answers given by the nurses to the scales had very high reliability, and the mean score of the attitude scale in medical errors was 3.90 (Cronbach-α coefficient 0.770), and the mean score of the evidence-based practice work environment scale was 2.90 (Cronbach-α coefficient 0.840). In addition, according to the correlation, a positive, weak, and statistically significant correlation was found between the total scores of the attitude scale in medical errors and the evidence-based practice work environment scale (P<0.05). As a result of the study, it was determined that nurses' attitudes toward preventing medical errors were positive and their perceptions of support for evidence-based practice work environments were high. In this direction, it can be said that the attitudes toward preventing medical errors of nurses whose working environment is supported by evidence-based practice can be positively affected and error tendencies in surgical clinics can be reduced.