title: Failure Mode and Effects Analysis: views of hospital staff in the UK.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore health care professionals' experiences and perceptions of Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), a team-based, prospective risk analysis technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 operational leads (20 pharmacists, one nurse) in medicines management teams of hospitals participating in a national quality improvement programme. Interviews were transcribed, coded and emergent themes identified using framework analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Themes identified included perceptions and experiences of participants with FMEA, validity and reliability issues, and FMEA's use in practice. FMEA was considered to be a structured but subjective process that helps health care professionals get together to identify high risk areas of care. Both positive and negative opinions were expressed, with the majority of interviewees expressing positive views towards FMEA in relation to its structured nature and the use of a multidisciplinary team. Other participants criticised FMEA for being subjective and lacking validity. Most likely to restrict its widespread use were its time consuming nature and its perceived lack of validity and reliability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FMEA is a subjective but systematic tool that helps identify high risk areas, but its time consuming nature, difficulty with the scores and perceived lack of validity and reliability may limit its widespread use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Practice and Policy, The School of Pharmacy, University of London, London, UK. nadashibl@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Nada
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shebl
authors.forename: Bryony
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Franklin
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Barber
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Burnett
authors.forename: Anam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parand
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012308:Risk Management / Q000458:organization & administration; D006113:United Kingdom