Purpose: This study aimed to identify patient safety competency levels and educational needs among clinical nurses in general and tertiary hospitals, and to analyze the factors influencing their perceptions.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from March 3 to April 17, 2020, among nurses working at a general and a tertiary hospital in South Korea. Questionnaires were distributed to 480 nurses who provided direct patient care in general and specialized units. Patient safety competency was measured using validated instruments, while educational needs were evaluated according to the World Health Organization’s patient safety curriculum topics. A total of 426 questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis.Results: The mean patient safety competency scores were 3.90 (SD = 0.40) for attitudes, 3.80 (SD = 0.50) for skills, and 3.40 (SD = 0.70) for knowledge. Educational needs were generally high (M = 4.50, SD = 0.50), particularly for medication administration (M = 4.80, SD = 0.40). Multiple regression analysis indicated that educational needs increased with higher competency in attitudes (β = 0.43, p < .001) and knowledge (β = 0.10, p < .01). Nurses with high patient safety competency and those who preferred receiving safety education before entering the nursing profession reported relatively higher educational needs.Conclusion: Greater patient safety competency and a preference for receiving safety education at the undergraduate level were associated with increased recognition of educational needs, suggesting that higher competency heightens awareness of knowledge gaps. These findings underscore the importance of developing differentiated educational strategies tailored to competency levels and supported by objective assessments.
Purpose: Ten years after the enactment of the Patient Safety Act, the First and Second Comprehensive Patient Safety Plans and the World Health Organization (WHO)'s recent patient safety initiatives are calling for expansion in patient safety in Korea. A shared understanding of the current status of patient safety will ensure robust and consistent future planning.Methods: This study examined Korea's patient safety status from three perspectives: past, present, and future. First, we examined the implementation status of the 13 patient safety tasks proposed in 2011 as of 2024. Second, to assess Korea's international standing, we reviewed Korea's implementation of the WHO's global patient safety indicators. Finally, we compared the Second Comprehensive Patient Safety Plan with the WHO's Global Patient Safety Action Plan (GPSAP) 2021-2030 to identify areas for improvement.Results: Of the 13 core initiatives proposed in 2011, 10 were implemented to varying degrees by 2024. Of the 10 WHO core patient safety indicators, Korea fully met five, partially met three, and has not yet implemented 'national target set for reduction in medication-related harm' and 'patient representatives appointed to governing boards in hospitals.’ Improvements identified in the Second Comprehensive Patient Safety Plan included the GPSAP's regular review system, objective quantitative indicators, and active use of the Patient Safety Network.Conclusion: Since the enactment of the Patient Safety Act in 2015, patient safety activities have been actively promoted in Korea and significant progress has been made over the past decade. To further advance patient safety in Korea, a patient safety action plan must be established to address challenging tasks, actively utilize patient safety collaboration networks from the outset, and evaluate patient safety activities through a balanced perspective and objective indicators.
Purpose: This study examined the relationships between non-nursing tasks, missed nursing care, patient safety nursing activities, and medical errors.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 168 nurses at a university hospital in Seoul using structured questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed using independent t-test, ANOVA, χ²-test, multiple regression analysis, binary logistic regression analysis, and the Hosmer- Lemeshow test with IBM SPSS 23.0.Results: The mean score for non-nursing tasks was 2.07±0.29 out of 3.0, and that for missed nursing care was 1.63±0.40 out of 4.0. The mean score for patient safety nursing activities was 4.51±0.42 out of 5.0, and fifty-one nurses had made a medical errors in the last six months. Missed nursing care had statistically significant negative correlations with patient safety nursing activities. Multiple regression analysis revealed that missed care accounted for 19.1% of patient safety nursing activities. Logistic regression analysis revealed that missed nursing care was a significant factor correlated with nurses’medical errors. Nurses with lower missed nursing care scores were more likely to perform patient safety nursing activities and were less likely to make medical errors.Conclusion: The findings showed that missed nursing care significantly affected patient safety nursing activities and medical errors. To enhance patient safety nursing activities and prevent medical errors, nurse managers should make efforts to reduce missed nursing care. Hospital management should ensure adequate staffing to maintain the quality of nursing care, and establish systems and policies to improve patient safety activities and prevent medical errors.
Purpose: This study examined the influences of nurses’ perceptions of patient safety culture and patient safety knowledge on their patient safety nursing activities in general hospitals.Methods: A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on nurses’ perceptions of patient safety culture, patient safety knowledge, and patient safety nursing activities. Data from 181 nurses at two general hospitals were analyzed using independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, correlation analysis, and multiple regression.Results: Patient safety nursing activities were positively correlated with patient safety culture (r=.22, p=.003) and patient safety knowledge (r=.37, p<.001). Patient safety knowledge emerged as a significant predictor (β=.32), explaining 17% of the variance in patient safety nursing activities (F=6.15, p<.001).Conclusion: Patient safety knowledge was identified as a key predictor of patient safety nursing activities, highlighting the need for structured educational programs and supportive organizational environments.
Purpose: This study examined the associations of clinical nurses’ patient safety competency, psychological safety, and nurse managers’ safety-specific transformational leadership with intention to report near-misses.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 225 clinical nurses from three tertiary hospitals in Korea. Data were collected between July 17 and 26, 2024, using a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlations, and multiple linear regression, controlling for total clinical experience and completion of any near-miss-related education within the past year.Results: After adjustment for covariates, patient safety competency (β=.18, p<.05), and psychological safety(β=.18, p<.05) were positively associated with intention to report near-misses. Although safety-specific transformational leadership showed a positive correlation with the intention to report near-misses (r=.24, p<.001), it was not a significant predictor in the adjusted model.Conclusion: To enhance clinical nurses’intention to report near-misses, organizations should support the development of patient safety competency through structured training, simulation-based learning, and competency-based assessment and feedback. In addition, psychological safety should be fostered by cultivating a non-punitive reporting culture, building trust, and ensuring open communication.
