Perceived Patient Safety Management Among Nursing Personnel in Fort Surasakmontri Hospital, Lampang Province

Abstract

Patients expect safe care during hospitalization. Accordingly, patient safety management is a basic patient right and a major duty of hospital employees. This descriptive study was to examine overall patient safety management as perceived by nursing personnel in Fort Surasakmontri Hospital, Lampang Province and to explore the differences in perceived patient safety management among registered nurses,  practical nurses and nurse aides.  The study sample includes 26 registered nurses, 37 practical nurses and 40 nurse aides, all of whomhave had experience in nursing for at least one year in Fort Surasakmontri Hospital. The sampling techniques were stratified random sampling. The study instrument was a questionnaire which was developed based on the conceptual framework of the National Patient Safety Agency (2004). The content validity index was 0.94 and the reliability was 0.93. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and One Way ANOVA. 

          The study results were as follows:

1. The overall of the perceived patient safety management among nursing personnel was at a high level (=3.22, S.D.=0.39). Patient safety management consisted of seven steps. Results illustrated that nursing personnel perceived the steps of building a safety culture, leading and supporting staff, integrating risk management activity, promoting incident report, involving and communicating with patients and the public, learning and sharing safety lessons and implementing solutions to prevent harm were at the high level (=3.39, S.D.=0.38; =3.25, S.D.=0.39; =3.31, S.D.=0.43; =3.19, S.D.=0.50; =3.16, S.D.=0.48; =3.10, S.D.=0.56; and =3.15, S.D.=0.46 respectively).
2. There was no statistical difference in the overall of the perceived patient safety management among registered nurses, practical nurses and nurse aides. However, there were statistical differences in perception of registered nurses and non-registered nurses regarding the steps of promoting incident report (F = 4.623, p<0.05) and involving and communicating with patients and the public (F = 6.844, p<0.05).

            The results of this study could contribute nurse managers and hospital administrators to understanding the progress of patient safety management in Fort Surasakmontri Hospital.  It was recommended that nurse managers and hospital administrators should regularly measure performance in patient safety management in order to ensure that the care provided is as safe as possible for patients.