Review article

https://doi.org/10.11608/sgnj.28.2.4

Nursing care and its impact on safety culture

Ivana Herak ; University North, Department of Nursing, Ulica 104. brigade 3, 42 000 Varaždin, Croatia
Marijana Neuberg ; University North, Department of Nursing, Ulica 104. brigade 3, 42 000 Varaždin, Croatia
Denis Grgurović ; County Hospital Čakovec, Department of Traumatology, I. G. Kovačića 1E, 40 000 Čakovec, Croatia

Abstract

Introduction: The World Health Organization defines patient safety as “a framework of organised activities that creates cultures, processes, procedures, behaviours, technologies, and environments in health care”. Patients have a right to expect that every effort is made to ensure their safety as users of all health services. The healthcare system today is facing major challenges, including a lack of human resources, an excessive workload of healthcare professionals, a large number of complex cases, the use of new technologies, and many others. Patient safety is an important component of health care, and it depends on several factors, such as the safety culture, organisation policy, competencies of personnel, and the way care is provided. Safety culture recognises high-risk activities; it is defined as a no-blame culture, and it seeks solutions to problems through an interdisciplinary approach.
Objective: To investigate patient safety culture from the perspective of nurses/nursing technicians and the association between nursing care and patient safety in health institutions through a systematic literature review.
Methods: A descriptive method was used, a review of scientific and professional literature in the field of nursing care, patient safety culture, patient safety, and adverse events.
Results: Results show that patient safety culture characteristics are correlated with nurses’/nursing technicians' intention to report errors. A stronger safety culture along with a developed patient safety competency was found to be significantly associated with a lower incidence of adverse events and surgical site infections, indicating that nurses' competence could reduce the occurrence of adverse events and improve patient safety culture.
Conclusion: Improved patient outcomes are associated with a safety culture characterised by shared attitudes among healthcare providers about the importance of patient safety, loyalty, communication transparency, and shared trust in the efficacy of safety measures.

Keywords

nurse; nursing care; safety culture; patient

Hrčak ID:

307242

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/307242

Publication date:

17.8.2023.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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