Perceptions of patient safety culture among physicians and RNs in the perioperative area.

A culture of safety is vital in the perioperative area, where errors can result in patient injury or death. Communication and teamwork are important aspects of this culture. A community hospital surveyed physicians and nurses in the perioperative area to examine and compare their perceptions of the hospital culture as it relates to patient safety. Although results indicated that, overall, physicians and RNs had positive perceptions of the culture, some respondents gave negative responses to important questions related to communication and supervisor or manager behavior. These findings have implications for improving managerial strategies and for future research within the perioperative area. AORN, Inc, 2008