Background: This study explored pharmacy staff characteristics like personality traits using the Big Five Inventory (BFI), emotional intelligence (EI), and thinking styles using The Rational Experiential Inventory (REI) and General Decision Making Style inventories (GDMS) together with demographic data to see how these measures could relate and the implication of this on pharmacy staff and patient safety. Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: All of the organization’s pharmacy staff were included with response rate of 64% (n = 119). Participants completed a self-report online survey questionnaire to measure personality traits, thinking styles, and emotional intelligence. Results: Decreasing BFI-Conscientiousness and GDMS-Dependent was associated with an increased likelihood of making an error. The BFI-agreeableness, GDMS-Rational, and EI-Self-Control were not associated with making an error. Conclusion: One of the most crucial findings is that BFI-Conscientiousness and GDMS-Dependent were significant predictors for medical errors. BFI-Neuroticism was a significant predictor of maladaptive behaviors and a trigger for lack of self-control and psychological issues. BFI-Conscientiousness was a factor among pharmacy staff who would recommend treatments that are less likely to cause pain, discomfort or interfere with patients’ daily activities.
KeywordsPatient SafetyEmotional IntelligenceRational StyleExperiential StyleGeneral Decision Making StyleMedical ErrorPersonality Traits
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