Attitudes and actions of hospitalized patients on management of their safety: a cross-sectional study

[摘要] AbstractHighlightsThis work explored the patients’ attitudes and actual actions participate in their own safety and whether patients with positive attitude are more likely to take action than others?Editor’s SummaryAttitudes and especially actual actions of hospitalized patients significantly affect their safety, which are also prerequisites of making coping strategies. And thus, it is essential to know the information.ABSTRACTBackground and aims: Patient plays an important role in preventing the adverse events (AEs) and harms occurred during medical care; however, the incidence of AEs and harms can be effectively reduced if patients actively and successfully participate in their care. Organizations of safety management for patients and authorities of health system agree that involve patients into the management on their care can obviously prevent medical error; whereas, the attitudes and actual actions of hospitalized patients for the view remain controversial. In this study, we aimed to explored patients’ attitudes and actual actions participate in their own safety and whether patients with positive attitude are more likely to take action than others? Methods: In the present cross-sectional study, convenience sampling method was adopted to recruit a sample size consist of 2052 patients from two teaching hospitals affiliated to Medical College of Shantou University located in Shantou China. We used a questionnaire consist of 7 items to investigate the attitudes and actual actions of hospitalized patients participating in their care. Then the actual actions between patients with positive and negative attitudes were analyzed using descriptive analysis and independent t-test. Results: Most patients have a positive attitude on engaging in their safety management activity. Although most patients have positive attitude, fewer can take actual actions. Patients with positive attitude are more likely to take actions, but there are not statistical significant difference for positive and negative attitudes patients in terms of some items, such as “Ask doctor or nurse to wash their hands” and “Ask nurse or doctor to confirm your identity”, etc. Conclusions: Positive attitude is an important factor that improves the rate of participating in the medical care activity for patients. Based on the results of current study, interventions that improve the attitude of patient are needed to improve patients’ attitude and what is more important is how to convert attitude into actual action. When making plan of interventions, cultural background of patients need to be taken into account.

[学科分类] 护理学

[关键词] Patient safety;Patient Participation;Cross-sectional Study;Investigation