Evaluation the Status of Patient Safety Culture from the Perspective of Healthcare Personnel of Teaching Hospitals Affiliated to Alborz University of Medical Sciences

Patient safety culture is one of the effective factors in the prevention of medical errors and keeping patient safety, therefore, its assessment will lead to the identification of improvable factors and provision of corrective action solutions for the weaknesses. This study aimed to evaluate patient safety culture from the perspective of healthcare personnel of teaching hospitals affiliated to Alborz University of Medical Sciences. This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2018. The study samples were 168 personnel who were selected from two teaching hospitals affiliated to Alborz University of Medical Sciences, using simple random sampling. Data were collected using Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) with 12 dimensions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent t-test by SPSS version 20. The total mean score of patient safety culture was 3.21. Of 12 dimensions, teamwork in units had the highest mean score (3.5), and non-punitive response to errors had the lowest mean score (2.7). There was no significant difference between total mean scores of organizational learning and continuous improvement; supervisor expectations and actions promoting patient safety; relationships and feedback of errors; and teamwork in the unites of two hospitals. Development of an encouragement culture instead of punishment/blame culture is one of the issues that politicians need to pay attention to. In addition, continuous training of staff at all levels and occupations in terms of patient safety culture will be effective.