Experience and Perception on Patient Safety Culture of Employees in Hospitals

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to understand and compare perception and experience between clinical staffs(nurses and pharmacists) and Quality Improvement managers. Method: A qualitative study was conducted with 14 clinical staffs and QI managers who are working at tertiary hospitals in Korea. Interviews were recorded and transcribed for systematic analyses of qualitative data. Results: Most critically, while QI managers acknowledged that establishment of the patient safety culture and reduction of medical errors are urgent tasks for QI effort, clinical staffs don't seem to share such perceptions. All participants agree that staff shortage and no compliance to safety procedures were major reasons for medical error occurrences. Many suggested that an organizational culture where errors were perceived as a systematic problems rather than individual failures or carelessness should be formed to promote voluntary reporting of medical errors. Conclusion: A more systematic effort and attention at the hospital leadership and public policy level should be promoted to constitute societal consensus on the urgence of promoting patient safety culture and more specific approaches to tackle the patient safety problems.