(1) Background: The repercussions of work environments were widely studied before the pandemic. However, there are still many difficulties to be discovered considering the impact generated by it. Thus, this study aimed to analyse the impact of COVID-19 on nursing practice environments and nurses’ job satisfaction. (2) Methods: A correlational study was conducted in a hospital in northern Portugal, with the participation of 416 registered nurses. Data were collected in June 2021 through questionnaires. The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. (3) Results: COVID-19 had a favourable impact on the structure component of the practice environments; the process component decreased compared to the pre-pandemic period; the outcome component remained moderately favourable to the quality of care. Nurses were not very satisfied or not at all satisfied with their valuation and remuneration; moderately satisfied with the leadership and staffing; and satisfied with the organisation and resources, co-workers and valuation by patients and families. In more favourable environments, nurses’ job satisfactions were higher. (4) Conclusions: Identifying the dimensions with the best and worst scores allowed the institution’s managers to concentrate efforts on where improvements were needed, thus preparing professional contexts for the recovery of care activities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed challenges to health systems and institutions, which had to quickly create conditions to meet the growing health needs of the population. Thus, this study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on professional nursing practice environments and to identify the variables that affected their quality. Quantitative, observational study, conducted in 16 Portuguese hospitals, with 1575 nurses. Data were collected using a questionnaire and participants responded to two different moments in time: the pre-pandemic period and after the fourth critical period of COVID-19. The pandemic had a positive impact on the Structure and Outcome components, and a negative trend in the Process component. The variables associated with the qualification of the components and their dimensions were predominantly: work context, the exercise of functions in areas of assistance to COVID-19 patients, length of professional experience and length of experience in the service. The investment in professional practice environments impacted the improvement of organizational factors, supporting the development of nurses’ work towards the quality of care. However, it is necessary to invest in nurses’ participation, involvement and professional qualifications, which are aspects strongly dependent on the institutions’ management strategies.

BackgroundPatient safety is a key area of health care organisations, with direct impacts for patient health and well-being. The increasing complexity of current health care settings, associated with high work demands and increasingly stressful professional practice environments, contributes to an increased likelihood of errors and adverse events. Primary health care, given the comprehensiveness of care concentrates a large proportion of the care delivered to the population.AimThis scoping review aims to map the knowledge about the impact that professional nursing practice environments have on safety culture in the primary health care settings. This knowledge is essential for a more effective and appropriate understanding of this phenomenon and the definition of strategies that can promote the provision of safer care to the population.Design & settingA scoping review will be conducted based on the method proposed by the JBI, and PRISMA-ScR will be used.MethodStudy selection, data extraction, and synthesis will be performed by two independent reviewers. Based on Participants, Concept and Context (PCC) framework, this scoping review will consider studies that address nurses' professional practice environment and patient safety culture in primary health care. We will consider all studies, published or unpublished, from 2002 to the present.ConclusionThe results from this scoping review are expected to provide an overview of the importance of the nursing practice environments on patient safety culture, which will be crucial to define an appropriate range of strategies to promote the delivery of the safest health care to the population.Open Science Framework protocol registrationhttps://osf.io/wy48r.

Aim To analyse the impact of COVID‐19 on professional nursing practice environments and patient safety culture. Background The relationship between work environments and patient safety has been internationally recognized. In 2020, the pandemic imposed enormous challenges, yet the impact on these variables remains unknown. Method This is a quantitative observational study, conducted in a Portuguese hospital, with 403 registered nurses. A self‐completion questionnaire was used. Results The impact on the Structure and Outcome components of nursing professional practice environments was positive. Although the Process component remained favourable to quality of care, a negative trend was confirmed in almost all dimensions. The results regarding safety culture showed weaknesses; ‘teamwork within units’ was the only dimension that maintained a positive culture. Conclusion Positive responses regarding patient safety were significantly associated with the quality of the nursing professional practice environment. The need to invest in all dimensions of safety culture emerges to promote positive professional environments. Implications for nursing management Improving professional nursing practice environments can be achieved through managers' investment in the participation and involvement of nurses in the policies and functioning of institutions, as well as promoting an open, fair and participatory safety culture that encourages reporting events and provides adequate support for professionals.