Monitoring strategies on patient safety practices among healthcare providers at Nakuru county referral hospital, Kenya

Abstract

Background: Quality care is achieved through combined efforts which include integration of all the components within the healthcare delivery system. Patient safety is one of the dimensions of enhancing quality healthcare. It involves increasing the awareness about the errors made due to human factors in the process of delivering healthcare services that may lead to harm and other adverse effects.Methods: This study was on assessment of monitoring strategies on patient safety practices among healthcare providers at Nakuru County Referral Hospital, Kenya. The study was anchored on Donabedian model for assessment of quality of care. The study design was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The sampling technique was purposive, stratified random sampling and proportionate with a sample size of 310 healthcare providers drawn from various departments. Data collection tools were questionnaire, interview schedule and observational checklist. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics (mean, mode and standard deviation).Results: The results of the study indicated and concluded that there is adherence to standardized clinical care protocols and guidelines as well as continuous and constant surveillance with clear assessments and evaluation of patient safety practices, accurate collection, storage, analysis and sharing of information on patient safety issues.Conclusions: The paper recommends the need for policy reviews on healthcare so as to ensure that patient safety issues are reviewed so as to mitigate risks in handling patients. There is need to establish clear guidelines on monitoring and evaluation standards of patient safety practices.