To report or not report? Attitudes held by Norwegian nursing home staff on reporting inadequate care carried out by colleagues

Abstract

Aims: The aims of this study are, first, to describe attitudes held by nursing home staff on reporting acts of inadequate care committed by their colleagues, and second, to investigate whether nursing staff have different attitudes depending on age, education, and length of experience of working in the healthcare services. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted among nursing staff in 16 nursing homes in the central part of Norway. The response rate was 79% (n=616). Results: A positive attitude towards reporting acts of inadequate care committed by their colleagues was held by the participants in this study. Compared with younger staff, the older staff seemed to be more reluctant to report colleagues, to feel less brave, to be more afraid of what would happen to them if they reported, and to agree that it is best to deal with such matters internally. Regarding education, it seemed that a higher educational level was related with a more positive attitude towards a willingness to report and less fear of negative sanctions. Conclusions: Staff who observe acts of inadequate care committed by colleagues agree that it is their intention to report such incidents. Institutions need to develop and implement mechanisms for understanding and evaluating acts of inadequate care, and staff must be encouraged to speak out on behalf of residents rather than be punished for doing so.