Table 1

Hospital units ranked according to analysis of qualitative data*

	Memorial 1	University 1	University 3	Memorial 2	Memorial 4	Memorial 5	University 2	Memorial 3
NM, nurse manager.
*This table is reproduced in a slightly revised form from Edmondson.²
Interviewer’s overall rating of openness	High	High	Med/high	Med/high	Med	Med/Low	Low	Very Low

Espoused attitudes toward drug errors: blame v learn	Learn	Tends toward learning	Learn	Neutral	Blame, fear	Blame, fear	Neutral	Blame

Nurse v manager staff views of NM (N/M%)	70/30%	25/75	50/50	50/50	10/90	0/100	50/50	10/90

NM: hands on v hands off	Hands on	Hands off, but approachable	Hands on	Hands on	Hands on, but controlling	Hands off	Hands off	Hands off and controlling

NM attire	Scrubs	Scrubs	Usually scrubs	Scrubs	Business suit/dress	Business suit/dress	Scrubs or dress	Business suit

NM’s views of staff	They are too hard on themselves	Doctors are independent and don’t take nurses’ advice	Nurses feel a lot of guilt	Nurses are hard on themselves	Nurses are nervous and defensive about mistakes	Nurses are nervous about being called into [my] “the principal’s office”	Nurses are always assessing and judging each other	Views residents as kids needing discipline, treats nurses in same way
	They are capable and seasoned	Nurses should talk to each other first before coming to me with a concern	Nurses see mistakes as larger than life	Advocates compassionate confrontation				Pays careful attention to reporting structures

Staff’s views of NM	A superb nurse and leader	A counsellor, not a boss	A rule person She talks to us individually, avoids public discussion of mistakes	Distracted, helpful, non-punitive, non-judgmental	Controlling and overbearing Makes you feel guilty Makes you want to cover your butt	Tends to blame individuals for mistakes	Punitive Gives you the silent treatment Makes you feel guilty	Treats you as guilty if you make a mistake Treats you like a 2 year old

Staff’s views of errors	Natural, normal, important to document	Mistakes are serious because of the toxicity of drugs, so you’re never afraid to tell the nurse manager	Mistakes happen because we get interrupted doing our work	Med errors are not a big deal here	Reluctance to report, because people get in trouble	Individuals get blamed for mistakes; you don’t want to make them	The environment is unforgiving Heads will roll	You get put on trial