PATIENT SAFETY ASSESSMENT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS

Abstract

Objective: To assess patient safety culture from the perspective of health care professionals working in critical care units at a university hospital. Material and Method: Observational, sectional study, with a quantitative approach, conducted with 207 health professionals, doctors, nurses and nursing technicians from a hospital in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, from January to November 2020. The participants were obtained through a non-probabilistic sample and answered the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture questionnaire, an instrument already validated for the Brazilian context. Descriptive statistical and multiple linear regression analyses were used; the significance level was α=0.05. Results: The best assessed dimension was “Organizational learning-continuous improvement” (64.4%). No dimension was considered particularly strong as it did not receive a score ≥ 75%. Eight dimensions were considered weak areas (≤ 50%), with the dimension “Non-punitive response to error” being the worst assessed (20.3%). The patient safety score given by the professional in their hospital working area (β=0.502, p<0.001) and the length of time working in the hospital (β=0.135, p=0.032) were statistically significant when associated with the overall score. Conclusions: This study makes it possible to identify weaknesses within the institution, with the non-punitive response to errors being the most concerning. Leaders should propose interventions that provide a blame-free environment for professionals to report adverse events. Considering patient safety as a management priority can provide better quality to the services offered by the organization.