Table 5 Examples of experienced uncertainties

Hygiene

• Correct sterilisation procedure for certain instruments.

• Discrepancy in hygiene and work environmental guidelines regarding the use of chlorine-containing product.

• Frequency of testing of autoclave.

• Frequency and type of cleaning of the clinic. Daily cleaning was required, but uncertainties about what that entailed.

• Frequency and type of cleaning of certain instruments like blood pressure monitor and ear thermometers and warming cabinet.

• When documentation in a logbook is required.

Acquisition, storage, and disposal of clinical utensils and medicine/vaccines

• For measurement of refrigerator temperature uncertainty about which thermometer to use, the frequency of measurement, and the required documentation.

• Required systematisation, frequency and documentation for control of expiration date of medicine.

Paraclinical tests

• The scope of GP’s responsibility for following up on paraclinical tests in relation to: a) ensuring that patients are informed about test results b) checking that paraclinical examinations referred to external providers have actually been carried out, and contacting the patient if he/she has not attended the examination.

Prevention of confusion of identities

• Whether patients always have to be identified by social security number or if/when facial recognition is sufficient.

• If cultivations labelled with patient’s full social security number are in contradiction with requirements about patient discretion (no visible social security numbers in the practice).

The patient health record

• How informed consent must be ensured - whether the GP has to ask directly and how it is to be noted in the patient record.