Reporting of adverse events and the fundamental tasks of managers—A qualitative interview study

Aim: To describe healthcare professionals' experiences of adverse event reporting in relation to the fundamental tasks of managers. Design: Qualitative interview study. Method: Twenty-four semi-structured interviews including six managers, six medical doctors, six Registered Nurses and six Enrolled Nurses were carried out in Slovenia from January to May 2019. The data were analysed using a multi-stage qualitative content analysis procedure. The COREQ checklist guided the reporting in this study. Results: The researchers found that all four fundamental tasks of managers, namely planning, organising, leading and controlling, influence the safety culture and thus adverse events reporting by employees. For each function, the researchers have identified the key factors that either promote or inhibit adverse events reporting in a healthcare institution. The results have implications for all those involved in adverse event reporting from the perspective of the fundamental tasks of managers and can contribute to the improvement of the reporting system and subsequently safer treatment.