As part of a recent campaign to improve the quality and safety of care, an educational “error room” was set up with two objectives: to encourage staff members to adhere to care quality and safety procedures using an entertaining educational tool, and to assess the various actions implemented.

Fifteen care safety errors were selected for study and displayed in the errors room. During a 2-day experience, the medical staff was invited to visit the room and search for errors. The errors were explained after the end of the experience. Participants completed a satisfaction survey.

Sixty-five staff members participated in the simulation. The care safety errors they most frequently identified were: an overfilled sharp-objects medical waste container; a urine bag on the floor; a bottle of the patient's own (prehospital) medications on the bedside table. The least frequently identified errors were: drug interactions; risk of warfarin overdose; improper identification of drugs and pillbox.

Despite the success of the simulation, rapid staff turnover in the setting of an isolated overseas healthcare facility was found to impair the long-term efficacy of the educational action. Greater team stability would improve implementation of the care quality and safety program.