Gap analysis: Patient Safety Curriculum for undergraduate nursing students against WHO guidelines at bachelor’s degree

Background Integrating patient safety into nursing curricula is essential to ensure that students are equipped with the skills needed to safely deliver clinical practice. This study aimed to assess the extent to which the undergraduate nursing curriculum was aligned with World Health Organization (WHO) patient safety guidelines. Methods Descriptive Comparative research design. This cross-sectional study was conducted at a Nursing College of a private university in Egypt. The protagonists in this story are the 48 faculty members teaching second—to fourth-year nursing students. Data were collected using the WHO Patient Safety Curriculum Guide and a faculty questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to collect data. Results There were major deficits in faculty knowledge of patient safety, teaching methods used to teach patient safety and curriculum structure. Key findings showed a predominance of traditional lecture-based instruction, infrequent training of faculty in patient safety, and inadequate curriculum coverage in areas such as quality improvement and clinical risk management. Conclusions Addressing critical gaps in the patient safety curriculum for undergraduate nursing students requires targeted faculty training, educational enhancements, and curriculum restructuring. These measures aim to equip nursing graduates with essential skills to improve patient safety in clinical settings, thereby enhancing healthcare outcomes.