Exploring the impact of interaction dynamics and professional capacity and development on cognitive medical errors: a multiple-case study of healthcare professionals in Jordan

Abstract

Addressing cognitve medical errors (MEs) and their contributing factors has emerged as a crucial factor in enhancing patient safety and attaining improved clinical outcomes. This study aimed to examine the impact of interaction dynamics and professional capability and development on cognitive MEs (i.e., mistakes, slips, or lapses) from the perspectives of healthcare professionals in Jordan. A multiple-case study design was employed with a cross-sectional approach. Our study investigated three prominent Jordanian hospitals in the northern region (government, private, and teaching) through a pretested, valid, and reliable survey. Using a convenience sampling, 400 participants from three occupational categories, including physicians, nurses, and clinical managers were invloved. The relationships among the study variables were examined through structural equation modeling (SEM) following Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) conducted using AMOS software. The results of CFA demonstrated that the model fit indices are acceptable (RMSEA = 0.069; CFI = 0.901; Chisq/df = 2.92; p <.05). The SEM analysis revealed a significant positive association between gaps in professional capacity and development, which comprises three subscales: training needs, continuous medical education, and skills, abilities, and competencies of healthcare professionals, and cognitive MEs (β = 0.40; p <.05). In contrast, a significant negative correlation was found between interaction dynamics among healthcare professionals, including two subscales: interpersonal communication, and teamwork and mutual support, and cognitive MEs (β = − 0.21; p <.05). Our findings advocate for fostering a hospital culture that consolidates efforts to prioritize patient care coordination, and teamwork cohesion, while also minimizing gaps in unmet needs for training and continuing education, and addressing shortcomings in the skills and job competence of healthcare professionals as essential proactive steps to migirate cognitive MEs in Jordanian hospitals.

Keywords: TeamSTEPPS, Teamwork, Communication, Training, Continuous medical education