Patient safety culture of health professionals

Abstract

Medical institutions should eliminate factors threatening patient safety to give the health service in quality. In this study main purpose is to determine the perception and attitude of health professionals on patient's safety. Material and Methods: A descriptive study was conducted at the university hospital through November 2010-February 2011. The population and sample of research were comprised of health professionals from all departments and response rate was 54% (n=261). Data collected with Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture. 70.1% of the health professionals in the study were nurse and 29.9% were assistant doctors, 37.5% of the participants were working at surgery department, 36.4% were in internal medicine departments and 26.1% were in intensive care unit-emergency room-operating room. According to answers given in the survey, high rates were resulted in 'team work within units' and 'overall perception of patient safety'. Low rates were measured for 'staffing and 'nonpunitive response to error'. Inadequate staffs, accusing-punitive approach, intensive workload, absence of error reporting system are factors weakening the patient safety environment. Awareness of errors, education programs, supporting environment and legal regulations must be done to develop the culture. Also staff's working and shift hours must be regulated.