Global Perspectives on Patient Safety: The Central Role of Nursing Management

Background: Unsafe care remains a major global health challenge, contributing to millions of preventable deaths and ranking among the top ten causes of mortality and disability worldwide. The World Health Organization’s Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030 emphasizes the need for strong leadership and system-wide engagement to eliminate avoidable harm. As the largest component of the global healthcare workforce, nurses—especially those in management roles—are essential to achieving these goals. Objective: This narrative review synthesizes global evidence on how nursing management practices, particularly leadership, staffing, and safety culture, influence patient safety outcomes across diverse health systems. Methods: A purposive narrative review was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Peer-reviewed studies and organizational reports published between 2020 and 2025 were evaluated. A thematic synthesis approach was used to identify patterns related to leadership style, staffing ratios, workplace conditions, and organizational resilience. Quality appraisal followed adapted Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidance. Results: A total of 37 peer-reviewed empirical studies were included in the narrative synthesis, along with key global policy and foundational framework documents used to contextualize findings. Evidence consistently demonstrated that transformational leadership, adequate nurse staffing, positive safety culture, and organizational learning structures are strongly associated with improved patient outcomes, reduced errors, and enhanced workforce well-being. Most studies exhibited moderate to high methodological rigor. Conclusions: Nursing management plays a decisive role in advancing global patient safety. Policies that strengthen leadership capacity, ensure safe staffing, promote just culture, and support nurse well-being are critical to achieving WHO’s 2030 safety objectives. Empowering nurse leaders across all regions is essential for building safer, more resilient health systems.