Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the inertia levels of nurses working in paediatric clinics and their tendency to make medical errors. METHODS: This descriptive study was conducted between April 2023 and June 2023 with nurses working in the paediatric clinics of a training and research hospital in a province in eastern Turkey. The Descriptive Information Form, Inertia Scale (IS) and Nursing Tendency to Medical Errors Scale (NTMSE) were used as data collection tools. The entire population was targeted without using a sampling method, and the study was completed with 221 nurses. RESULTS: Of the nurses, 52.9% were between 26 and 33 years of age, and 52.0% were female. Additionally, 66.1% were single, 50.7% had an income less than their expenses, and 77.8% held a bachelor's degree. Inertia was significantly associated with age, marital status, income level, professional experience, duration of work and medical error training, while it was found to be lower among nurses who followed scientific publications (p < 0.05). However, there was no statistical correlation between the mean total score of the NTMSE and the descriptive characteristics (p > 0.05). An association was found between age and the falls subscale of the NTMSE, while nurses working in paediatric units exhibited higher malpractice tendencies in the falls, patient monitoring, and material safety subscales (p < 0.05). No statistically significant correlation was found between the IS and NTMSE (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The study determined that the inertia levels of nurses working in paediatric clinics were moderate and their tendency to make medical errors was low. Regular training programmes and professional development activities should be planned to reduce inertia levels and enhance professional performance. Additionally, improving the working conditions of nurses and strengthening supportive monitoring mechanisms are essential to prevent medical errors.