Table 1

Distribution of nurse and physician assessment of adverse events (AEs) as compared with the nurses' classification of harm using the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC-MERP) scale

NCC-MERP harm category	Definition of category of harm	NCC-MERP	AE^*	AE^*
NCC-MERP harm category	Definition of category of harm	RN review	RN review	MD review
No harm	No evidence of harm	442	2	34
E	Temporary harm to the patient requiring intervention	80	38	22
F	Temporary harm to the patient requiring initial or prolonged hospitalisation	56	41	25
G	Permanent harm	2	1	0
H	Intervention required to sustain life	7	7	4
I	Death	4	4	4
	Total	591	93	89

For each category of harm as defined by the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC-MERP) classification system, we note the number of cases in that category identified as having an AE by the nurse and the physician reviewers. No harm: nurse reviewers designated 442 cases as being in the NCC-MERP category of ‘No Harm.’ The nurses identified two, and the physician reviewers identified 34 of the 442 cases as having had an AE. Category E: of the 80 ‘E’ category cases, 47.5% and 27.5% were designated as an AE by the nurse and physician reviewers, respectively. Category F: of the 56 ‘F’ category cases, 73% and 46.6% were designated as an AE by the nurse and physician reviewers, respectively. Category G: the nurse reviewers identified one of the two ‘G’ category cases as an AE, whereas the physicians did not designate either as an AE. Category H: of the seven ‘H’ category cases, four were designated as AEs by the nurses and physician reviewers respectively. Category I: there was complete agreement on the deaths.
↵* AE is defined as an injury, associated with a disability and caused by healthcare management.