Nurses' Perception of Patient Safety Culture in Primary Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Investigation of nurses' perceptions of patient safety culture (PSC) might be beneficial in identifying safety areas that need improvement, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study reports on the PSC in primary care from the nurses' perspective during the pandemic. Nurses (n = 117) evaluated teamwork (87.3%) and staff training (80.9%) positively but work pressure and pace (26.1%) and patient care tracking (45.3%) concerning PSC dimensions negatively. Limited care coordination and continuity lead to patient hospitalizations and care fragmentation. However, regular assessment of PSC can lead to adopting the necessary strategies to reinforce weaknesses and thus improve patient safety in primary care.

The Relationship Between Patient Safety Culture and the Intentions of the Nursing Staff to Report a Near-Miss Event During the COVID-19 Crisis

“…We did not find similar reports in the literature to support our research data probably because the issue of intention to report a near-miss event is not widely published in general, particularly not during the COVID-19 crisis. However, this finding is similar to results in other studies that examined perception of patient safety culture during COVID-19 14,16,17. Some of the data are also consistent with studies completed before COVID-19.…”

“…However, this finding is similar to results in other studies that examined perception of patient safety culture during COVID-19. 14,16,17 Some of the data are also consistent with studies completed before COVID-19. Both Toren et al 3 and Aka-Zohar et al 2 found that teamwork between hospital departments predicted the intention to report a near-miss event.…”

“…Several studies found a decrease in reporting of errors during COVID-19. This tendency may well increase the risk of harm to patients and prevent a medical center from fulfilling its function to provide safe, quality care 16,17. Few studies have examined the relationship between patient safety culture and the intention to report a near-miss event, and even fewer have studied the issue during the time of a health crisis such as COVID-19.…”

“…This tendency may well increase the risk of harm to patients and prevent a medical center from fulfilling its function to provide safe, quality care. 16,17 Few studies have examined the relationship between patient safety culture and the intention to report a near-miss event, and even fewer have studied the issue during the time of a health crisis such as COVID-19. We tested the relationship between nurses' perception of patient safety culture, their sociodemographic data, their intention to report a near-miss event, and actual reporting, during the COVID-19 crisis.…”

Factors influencing nursing students' perception of patient safety

“…Students who had experience with adverse events (or their reporting) evaluated their knowledge, skills and/or attitudes towards patient safety significantly better (e.g., Firat Firat Kılıç and Cevheroğlu, 2023; (Fisher and Kiernan, 2019). The quantitative study revealed that the current clinical placement can also affect the perception of patient safety, with students from intensive care units and primary care settings evaluating selected dimensions of patient safety better (Kalánková et al, 2022). Behaviour related to patient safety, as well as lower student workload, also had an impact on the perception of patient safety (Kong et al, 2019).…”