From Safety Culture Assessment to Organisational Priorities: A Multicentre Study in Surgical Departments

Abstract

Aim(s) To assess patient safety culture in surgical departments, identify factors associated with overall patient safety grade and incident reporting and examine implications for nursing management. Background Evidence on factors associated with the principal outcomes of patient safety culture remains limited. Method(s) A multicentre cross‐sectional study was conducted in surgical departments of three Spanish university hospitals. Hierarchical logistic regression examined factors associated with high overall patient safety grade and incident reporting. Results Of 1340 eligible healthcare professionals, 336 participated (25.1%). Teamwork Within Units was the only strength. Organisational Learning, Communication Openness, Management Support and Teamwork Across Units were independently associated with high overall patient safety grade, with the largest association for Teamwork Across Units (aOR 12.93, 95% CI 3.31–54.67, p < 0.001). Professional experience was associated with incident reporting (aOR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01–1.06, p = 0.009), whereas Organisational Learning showed an inverse association (aOR 0.39, 95% CI 0.15–0.97, p = 0.045). Conclusion(s) Overall patient safety grade and incident reporting are complementary but distinct indicators of patient safety culture. Implications for Nursing Management Our findings may help nurse leaders identify potential areas for improvement and distinguish strategies addressing safety perceptions from those addressing incident reporting.