Background - Aim
Patient safety culture (PSC) is the collective values and behaviors that healthcare organizations prioritize. It encourages open communication, error reporting, and teamwork to prevent harm. To assess the perceptions of PSC among clinical laboratory professionals and explore whether differences in perception exist across various professional categories.
Methods
An adapted version of the ‘Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture 1.0’ from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, retaining all 12 original dimensions, was administered to clinical laboratory professionals across various categories (managers, analysts, technicians, and administrative staff). Perceptions were classified as positive or negative, and Odds Ratios (OR) were calculated to explore the relationship between professional categories and PSC perceptions.
Results
A total of 1,414 professionals participated in the study. Managers were significantly more likely to have positive perceptions in 10 out of the 12 dimensions, with ORs 1.5 to 2 times higher than the overall OR (OOR) in most dimensions (p<0.05). These dimensions included: “Communication Openness” (OR=3.03), “Management Support for Patient Safety” (OR=6.50), “Organizational Learning – Continuous Improvement” (OR=8.14), “Supervisor/Manager Expectations and Actions Promoting Patient Safety” (OR=5.34), “Frequency of Events Reported” (OR=4.49), “Overall Perception of Patient Safety” (OR=2.43), “Handoffs and Transitions” (OR=3.46), “Nonpunitive Response to Error” (OR=0.82), “Feedback and Communication About Error” (OR=4.17), and “Teamwork Within Units” (OR=6.18). Two exceptions were observed: “Teamwork Across Units” OR=2.08 vs. OOR=1.72 (p=0.069), where no significant association was found, and “Staffing” OR=1.04 vs. OOR=1.10 (p=0.012), where, despite the statistically significant difference, the OR values were very close, making it difficult to single out one category over others.
Conclusions
This study highlights significant differences in PSC perceptions, with managers being more likely to view it positively. Improving communication and aligning PSC perceptions across all staff levels is essential for consistent safety practices in clinical laboratories.
Referências
Giménez-Marín A, Rivas-Ruiz F, García-Raja AM, Venta-Obaya R, Fusté-Ventosa M, Caballé-Martín I, Benítez-Estevez A, Quinteiro-García AI, Bedini JL, León-Justel A, Torra Puig M. Assessment of patient safety culture in clinical laboratories in the Spanish National Health System. Biochem Med (Zagreb). 2015 Oct 15;25(3):363-76.
Giménez-Marín Á, Rivas Ruiz F; Grupo dela Comisión de Gestión del Laboratorio Clínico de la Sociedad Española de Bioquímica Clínica y Patología Molecular (SEQC), España. Gobierno clínico y cultura en seguridad de los laboratorios clínicos en el Sistema Nacional de Salud español [Clinical governance and patient safety culture in clinical laboratories in the Spanish National Health System]. Rev Calid Asist. 2017 Nov-Dec; 32(6):303-315.
Shcolnik W, da Silva Duarte AJ. Assessment of Culture and Laboratory Practices Related to Patient Safety in Brazilian Laboratories. J Patient Saf. 2022 Oct 1;18(7):674-679.