Frequency and type of errors and near errors reported by critical care nurses.
Prior research has demonstrated that intensive care unit patients are particularly vulnerable to medical error. This survey of critical care nurses examined the frequency, types, and causes of self-reported errors. Errors were frequent, with more than a quarter of nurses committing at least one error during the 28-day study period, and an even greater proportion reported "near errors" (where the nurse caught herself before the error was committed).