Pediatric nurses’ perspective on the culture of patient safety

Background

Patient safety has been introduced as an epidemic concern, and worldwide, many patients, including children, are affected by medical errors that endanger their safety. This study aimed to patient safety culture from the perspective of pediatric nurses and related factors.

Design and Methods

In this analytical-cross-sectional study, that was adopted between April 2023 and September 2023, 200 nurses worked in the pediatrics’ wards using the census sampling method. The instruments used were a demographic and a patient safety culture questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Chi-2, Fisher inferential tests, and regression analysis in SPSS software version 24.

Results

Nurses’ patient safety culture was in the moderate range (55.3 ± 16.9), and nurses with older age, formal employment, fixed work shifts, higher work experience, having overtime, participating in training workshops, and not having Stress during the work shift had a significantly higher safety culture (P<0.05). “Intra-departmental teamwork” had the highest score, and “non-punitive response when errors” had the lowest score for patient safety culture.

Conclusion

Based on the findings, the safety culture among nurses working in children’s wards is not favorable, so it is suggested to design training programs and create a safe environment to track errors in hospitals.

Clinical evidence

The “non-punitive response in case of error” dimension has the lowest score in the cultural dimensions of patient safety. There are problematic areas in the safety culture of the sector, which shows that this culture needs to be better developed, with special attention to the dimensions of the culture that presented a less positive evaluation

• What is currently known?

The culture of patient safety is the primary and necessary component for promoting and improving patient safety, and children, as a high-risk group, are under the threat of non-compliance with patient safety. The patient safety culture in children’s ward nurses is unfavorable.

• And What does this article add?

The “non-punitive response in case of error” dimension has the lowest score in the cultural dimensions of patient safety. There are problematic areas in the safety culture of the sector, which shows that this culture needs to be better developed, with special attention to the dimensions of the culture that presented a less positive evaluation