Evaluation of patient safety culture

comparative study in university hospitals

Abstract

Objective: To conduct a benchmarking comparison of the composites of patient safety culture based on the evaluation of Brazilian and Portuguese nurses working in university hospitals. Method: Quantitative, cross-sectional, comparative survey. Data collected between April and December 2014, in two teaching hospitals, applying the instrument Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture, in the versions translated and adapted to the countries. Results: 762 nurses distributed in four services participated in the study, 195 Brazilians and 567 Portuguese. Seven of the 12 composites of safety culture showed significant differences between hospitals. The highlights were those related to: “management support for patient safety” (±17); “handoffs and transitions” (±15); “teamwork across units” (±14); and “overall perceptions of patient safety” (±10). Conclusion: The dimension that had the highest significant difference between the studied institutions was “management support for patient safety”. These data may support the managers of the study hospitals, enabling continuous improvements and advancements.