Which aspects of “incident reporting culture” predict nurses’ willingness to report errors?

Purpose This study aimed to identify which aspects of incident reporting culture predict the willingness of nurses to report errors. Design/methodology/approach In this cross-sectional study (2021), a census sampling method was used to recruit 251 nurses with at least one year of experience in general wards across three hospitals in Northern Iran. Data were collected via a self-report questionnaire and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings Two dimensions of incident reporting culture— “learning from errors” (ß = 0.234, 95% CI: 0.088 to 0.380) and “error management” (ß = 0.029, 95% CI: 0.013 to 0.235)—significantly predicted nurses’ willingness to report errors. Originality/value This study is among the first to identify specific dimensions of incident reporting culture that could enhance nurses’ motivation to report errors.