title: The impact of medical errors on Swiss anaesthesiologists: a cross-sectional survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinicians involved in medical errors can experience significant distress. This study aims to examine (1) how medical errors impact anaesthesiologists in key work and life domains; (2) anaesthesiologists' attitudes regarding support after errors; (3) and which anaesthesiologists are most affected by errors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is a mailed cross-sectional survey completed by 281 of the 542 clinically active anaesthesiologists (52% response rate) working at Switzerland's five university hospitals between July 2012 and April 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Respondents reported that errors had negatively affected anxiety about future errors (51%), confidence in their ability as a doctor (45%), ability to sleep (36%), job satisfaction (32%), and professional reputation (9%). Respondents' lives were more likely to be affected as error severity increased. Ninety per cent of respondents disagreed that hospitals adequately support them in coping with the stress associated with medical errors. Nearly all of the respondents (92%) reported being interested in psychological counselling after a serious error, but many identified barriers to seeking counselling. However, there were significant differences between departments regarding error-related stress levels and attitudes about error-related support. Respondents were more likely to experience certain distress if they were female, older, had previously been involved in a serious error, and were dissatisfied with their last error disclosure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medical errors, even minor errors and near misses, can have a serious effect on clinicians. Health-care organisations need to do more to support clinicians in coping with the stress associated with medical errors.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedical Ethics, Universität Basel, Basel, Switzerland.|Centre for Health Policy, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: McLennan
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedical Ethics, Universität Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Engel-Glatter
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Division of Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology, Universität Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Swiss Patient Safety Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland.|Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Universität Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: D L B
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Schwappach
authors.affiliation: Prof. emer. Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Universität Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Scheidegger
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedical Ethics, Universität Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Elger
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000776:Anesthesiology; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland