TABLE 3.
Results From the Hospital Survey of Patient Safety Culture
| Question | Answer Choice | August | November | January | P (<0.05) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People support one another in this unit | Agree | 84% (57) | 93% (79) | 86% (65) | 0.22 |
| Neither | 9% (6) | 1% (1) | 9% (7) | ||
| Disagree | 7% (5) | 6% (5) | 5% (4) | ||
| We have enough staff to handle the workload | Agree | 22% (15) | 14% (12) | 16% (12) | <0.01 |
| Neither | 2% (1) | 7% (6) | 6% (5) | ||
| Disagree | 76% (51) | 79% (68) | 78% (59) | ||
| When a lot of work needs to be done quickly, we work together as a team to get the work done. | Agree | 87% (59) | 91% (77) | 90% (68) | 0.75 |
| Neither | 6% (4) | 6% (5) | 5% (4) | ||
| Disagree | 7% (5) | 3% (3) | 5% (4) | ||
| In this unit, people treat each other with respect. | Agree | 78% (52) | 81% (70) | 76% (57) | 0.94 |
| Neither | 13% (9) | 14% (12) | 15% (11) | ||
| Disagree | 9% (6) | 5% (4) | 9% (7) | ||
| Staff in this unit work longer hours than is best for patient care | Agree | 64% (43) | 61% (52) | 65% (49) | 0.97 |
| Neither | 16% (11) | 27% (23) | 17% (13) | ||
| Disagree | 20% (13) | 12% (10) | 18% (14) | ||
| We are actively doing things to improve patient safety | Agree | 78% (53) | 87% (75) | 83% (63) | 0.19 |
| Neither | 12% (8) | 12% (10) | 13% (10) | ||
| Disagree | 10% (7) | 1% (1) | 4% (3) | ||
| We use more agency/temporary staff than is best for patient care | Agree | 22% (15) | 12% (10) | 10% (8) | 0.29 |
| Neither | 8% (5) | 20% (17) | 20% (15) | ||
| Disagree | 70% (47) | 68% (59) | 70% (53) | ||
| Staff feel like their mistakes are held against them | Agree | 36% (24) | 34% (29) | 32% (24) | 0.64 |
| Neither | 22% (15) | 30% (26) | 26% (20) | ||
| Disagree | 42% (28) | 36% (31) | 42% (32) | ||
| Mistakes have led to positive changes here | Agree | 63% (43) | 77% (66) | 75% (56) | 0.12 |
| Neither | 28% (19) | 19% (16) | 20% (15) | ||
| Disagree | 9% (6) | 4% (4) | 5% (4) | ||
| It is just by chance that more serious mistakes don't happen around here | Agree | 42% (28) | 46% (39) | 30% (23) | <0.01 |
| Neither | 24% (16) | 16% (14) | 19% (14) | ||
| Disagree | 34% (23) | 38% (32) | 51% (39) | ||
| When one area in this unit gets really busy, others help out | Agree | 49% (33) | 61% (53) | 52% (39) | 0.79 |
| Neither | 15% (10) | 20% (17) | 16% (12) | ||
| Disagree | 36% (24) | 19% (16) | 32% (24) | ||
| When an event is reported, it feels like the person is being written up, not the problem | Agree | 42% (28) | 34% (29) | 32% (24) | 0.03 |
| Neither | 18% (12) | 28% (24) | 29% (22) | ||
| Disagree | 40% (27) | 38% (33) | 39% (29) | ||
| After we make changes to improve patient safety, we evaluate their effectiveness | Agree | 54% (37) | 69% (59) | 66% (50) | 0.13 |
| Neither | 27% (18) | 15% (13) | 21% (16) | ||
| Disagree | 19% (13) | 16% (14) | 13% (10) | ||
| We work in crisis mode trying to do too much, too quickly | Agree | 55% (37) | 62% (53) | 61% (46) | 0.50 |
| Neither | 15% (10) | 21% (18) | 11% (8) | ||
| Disagree | 30% (20) | 17% (14) | 28% (22) | ||
| Patient safety is never sacrificed to get more work done | Agree | 34% (13) | 44% (38) | 38% (29) | 0.37 |
| Neither | 16% (11) | 16% (14) | 20% (15) | ||
| Disagree | 50% (34) | 40% (34) | 42% (32) | ||
| Staff worry that mistakes they make are kept in their personal files | Agree | 51% (34) | 40% (34) | 46% (35) | 0.13 |
| Neither | 28% (19) | 34% (29) | 24% (18) | ||
| Disagree | 21% (14) | 26% (23) | 30% (23) | ||
| We have patient safety problems in this unit | Agree | 48% (32) | 33% (28) | 31% (24) | <0.01 |
| Neither | 22% (15) | 22% (19) | 24% (18) | ||
| Disagree | 30% (20) | 45% (39) | 45% (34) | ||
| Our procedures and systems are good at preventing errors from happening | Agree | 54% (37) | 71% (61) | 67% (51) | 0.08 |
| Neither | 29% (20) | 21% (18) | 22% (17) | ||
| Disagree | 17% (11) | 8% (7) | 11% (8) | ||
| My supervisor/manager says a good work when he/she sees a job done according to established patient safety procedures. | Agree | 59% (39) | 58% (51) | 56% (42) | 0.87 |
| Neither | 16% (11) | 16% (14) | 16% (12) | ||
| Disagree | 25% (17) | 26% (23) | 28% (21) | ||
| My supervisor/manager seriously considers staff suggestions for improving patient safety | Agree | 52% (35) | 62% (54) | 60% (45) | 0.40 |
| Neither | 26% (17) | 16% (14) | 21% (16) | ||
| Disagree | 22% (15) | 22% (19) | 19% (14) | ||
| Whenever pressure build up, my supervisor/manager wants us to work faster, even if it means taking shortcuts | Agree | 36% (24) | 33% (29) | 32% (24) | 0.78 |
| Neither | 13% (9) | 23% (20) | 15% (11) | ||
| Disagree | 51% (34) | 44% (38) | 53% (40) | ||
| My supervisor/manager overlooks patient safety problems that happen over and over | Agree | 21% (14) | 15% (13) | 16% (12) | 0.53 |
| Neither | 20% (13) | 15% (13) | 20% (15) | ||
| Disagree | 59% (39) | 70% (60) | 64% (48) | ||
| We are given feedback about changes put into place based on event reports | Never/rarely | 15% (10) | 14% (12) | 5% (4) | 0.06 |
| Sometimes | 37% (25) | 29% (25) | 45% (33) | ||
| Most times/always | 48% (20) | 57% (48) | 50% (37) | ||
| Staff will freely speak up if they see something that may negatively affect patient care | Never/rarely | 3% (2) | 6% (5) | 7% (5) | 0.06 |
| Sometimes | 42% (28) | 32% (28) | 32% (24) | ||
| Most times/always | 55% (37) | 62% (53) | 61% (45) | ||
| We are informed about errors that happen in this unit | Never/rarely | 9% (6) | 8% (7) | 7% (5) | 0.80 |
| Sometimes | 27% (18) | 19% (16) | 28% (21) | ||
| Most times/always | 64% (43) | 73% (63) | 65% (48) | ||
| Staff feel free to question the decision or actions of those with more authority | Never/rarely | 30% (20) | 21% (18) | 15% (11) | 0.02 |
| Sometimes | 37% (25) | 41% (35) | 43% (32) | ||
| Most times/always | 33% (22) | 38% (32) | 42% (31) | ||
| In this unit, we discuss ways to prevent errors from happening again | Never/rarely | 6% (4) | 6% (5) | 5% (4) | 0.65 |
| Sometimes | 36% (24) | 23% (20) | 31% (23) | ||
| Most times/always | 58% (39) | 71% (61) | 64% (47) | ||
| Staff are afraid to ask questions when something does not seem right | Never/rarely | 45% (30) | 51% (44) | 54% (40) | 0.27 |
| Sometimes | 43% (29) | 37% (32) | 35% (26) | ||
| Most times/always | 12% (8) | 12% (10) | 11% (8) | ||
| When a mistake is made, but is caught and corrected before affect the patient, how often is this reported | Never/rarely | 12% (8) | 22% (19) | 15% (11) | 0.65 |
| Sometimes | 41% (27) | 29% (25) | 36% (27) | ||
| Most times/always | 47% (31) | 49% (42) | 49% (36) | ||
| When a mistake is made, but has no potential to harm the patient, how often is the reported | Never/rarely | 21% (14) | 24% (21) | 23% (17) | 0.78 |
| Sometimes | 29% (19) | 29% (25) | 31% (23) | ||
| Most times/always | 50% (33) | 47% (40) | 46% (34) | ||
| When a mistake is made that could harm the patient, but does not, how often is the reported | Never/rarely | 9% (6) | 16% (14) | 8% (6) | 0.36 |
| Sometimes | 23% (15) | 26% (22) | 30% (22) | ||
| Disagree | 68% (45) | 58% (49) | 62% (46) | ||
| Please give delivery suite an overall grade on patient safety | Excellent/good | 45% (30) | 58% (50) | 73% (55) | 0.02 |
| Acceptable | 51% (34) | 40% (35) | 24% (18) | ||
| Poor/failing | 4% (3) | 2% (2) | 3% (2) | ||
| Hospital units do not coordinate well with each other | Agree | 35% (23) | 33% (28) | 24% (18) | 0.14 |
| Neither | 36% (24) | 26% (22) | 45% (33) | ||
| Disagree | 29% (19) | 41% (34) | 31% (23) | ||
| Things “fall between the cracks” when transferring patients from one unit to another | Agree | 50% (33) | 46% (39) | 30% (22) | <0.01 |
| Neither | 14% (9) | 23% (19) | 36% (27) | ||
| Disagree | 36% (24) | 31% (26) | 34% (25) | ||
| There is good cooperation among hospital units that need to work together | Agree | 41% (27) | 60% (50) | 50% (37) | 0.09 |
| Neither | 42% (28) | 27% (23) | 42% (31) | ||
| Disagree | 17% (11) | 13% (11) | 8% (6) | ||
| Important patient care information is often lost during shift changes | Agree | 36% (24) | 24% (20) | 22% (16) | 0.03 |
| Neither | 20% (13) | 22% (18) | 24% (18) | ||
| Disagree | 44% (29) | 54% (45) | 54% (40) | ||
| It is often unpleasant to work with staff from` other hospital units | Agree | 6% (4) | 4% (3) | 1% (1) | 0.22 |
| Neither | 30% (20) | 20% (17) | 34% (25) | ||
| Disagree | 64% (42) | 76% (64) | 65% (48) | ||
| Problems often occur in the exchange of information across hospital units | Agree | 38% (25) | 35% (29) | 23% (17) | 0.02 |
| Neither | 34% (22) | 33% (28) | 43% (32) | ||
| Disagree | 28% (18) | 32% (27) | 34% (25) | ||
| The actions of hospital management show that patient safety is a top priority | Agree | 47% (31) | 54% (45) | 54% (40) | 0.10 |
| Neither | 26% (17) | 25% (21) | 30% (22) | ||
| Disagree | 27% (18) | 21% (18) | 16% (12) | ||
| Hospital management seems invested in patient safety only after an adverse event happens | Agree | 56% (44) | 47% (39) | 49% (36) | 0.03 |
| Neither | 8% (5) | 20% (17) | 22% (16) | ||
| Disagree | 26% (17) | 33% (27) | 29% (22) | ||
| Hospital units work well together to provide the best care for patients | Agree | 53% (35) | 67% (56) | 68% (50) | <0.01 |
| Neither | 38% (25) | 30% (25) | 32% (24) | ||
| Disagree | 9% (6) | 3% (3) | 0% (0) | ||
| Shift changes are problematic for patients in this hospital | Agree | 32% (21) | 53% (44) | 26% (19) | 0.03 |
| Neither | 29% (19) | 18% (15) | 20% (15) | ||
| Disagree | 39% (26) | 29% (24) | 54% (40) |