6 Statistics on Patient Safety Culture

The survey asked about communication openness, feedback and communication about error, frequency of events reported, handoffs and transitions, management support for patient safety, nonpunitive response to error, organizational learning—continuous improvement, overall perceptions of patient safety, staffing, supervisor/manager expectations and actions promoting safety, teamwork across units and teamwork within units.

Of the 12 items surveyed, those with the highest percentage of positive responses were:

Teamwork within units (81 percent positive) — the extent to which staff works as a supportive team.
Supervisor/manager expectations and actions promoting patient safety (76 percent positive) — the extent to which supervisors emphasize patient safety and safety improvement.
Organizational learning-continuous improvement (73 percent positive) — the extent to which mistakes lead to positive and effective organizational change.

Of the items surveyed, those with the lowest percentage of positive responses included:

Nonpunitive response to error (44 percent positive) — the extent to which staff feel mistakes or event reports are held against them or kept in their personnel files.
Handoffs and transitions (47 percent positive) — the extent to which patient information is appropriately transferred during unit transfers or shift changes.
Staffing (55 percent positive) — the extent to which staff levels and staff hours allow staff to provide optimal patient care.