Failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) is a common way to identify error risk. In this study, FMEA was used in a psychiatric hospital emergency department (ED) to identify potential failures. FMEA was completed by two groups, ED staff and non-ED staff, to determine if a multi-professional team could be used for the FMEA process. The groups’ ratings were very similar, indicating a multi-professional team can effectively complete an FMEA.

Surgical never events are rare but devastating for patients. Using machine learning, this study identified 24 contributing factors to two types of surgical never events - wrong site surgery and retained items. Communication, the number and type of staff present, and the type and length of surgery were identified contributing factors.

Health care–associated infections (HAIs) are a significant source of preventable harm to patients. Although prior research has shown that clean hands are essential for reducing HAIs, health care institutions continue to struggle with hand hygiene compliance. In this study, investigators surveyed 400 nurses at a pediatric hospital and found a positive correlation between psychological safety and belief in personal responsibility for preventing the spread of infection. The authors argue that improving the psychological safety of staff may augment the response to hand hygiene initiatives.