Kim Usher1, Cindy Woods2, Jane Conway3, Jackie Lea4, Vicki Parker5, Fiona Barrett6, Eilish O'Shea7, Debra Jackson8. 1. School of Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia; Oxford Institute of Nursing, Midwifery & Allied Health Research (OxINMAHR), Oxford School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, Oxford-Brookes University, Oxford, UK. Electronic address: kim.usher@une.edu.au. 2. School of Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia. Electronic address: cwood30@une.edu.au. 3. School of Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia. Electronic address: jconway4@une.edu.au. 4. School of Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia. Electronic address: jlea2@une.edu.au. 5. School of Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia. Electronic address: vparker3@une.edu.au. 6. School of Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia. Electronic address: fbarret3@une.edu.au. 7. School of Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia. Electronic address: eoshea5@une.edu.au. 8. School of Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia; Oxford Institute of Nursing, Midwifery & Allied Health Research (OxINMAHR), Oxford School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, Oxford-Brookes University, Oxford, UK; Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia. Electronic address: djackson@brookes.ac.uk.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Patient safety is a core principle of health professional practice and as such requires significant attention within undergraduate curricula. However, patient safety practice is complex requiring a broad range of skills and behaviours including the application of sound clinical knowledge within a range of health care contexts and cultures. There is very little research that explores how this is taught within Australian nursing curricula. OBJECTIVES: To examine how Australian nursing curricula address patient safety; identify where and how patient safety learning occurs; and describe who is responsible for facilitating this learning. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Eighteen universities across seven Australian States and Territories. PARTICIPANTS: The sample consisted of 18 nursing course coordinators or those responsible for the inclusion of patient safety content within a Bachelor of Nursing course at Australian universities. METHODS: An online survey was conducted to evaluate the patient safety content included and teaching methods used in Australian pre-registration nursing curricula. RESULTS: Approaches to teaching patient safety vary considerably between universities where patient safety tended to be integrated within undergraduate nursing course subjects rather than explicitly taught in separate, stand-alone subjects. Three-quarters of the surveyed staff believed patient safety was currently being adequately covered in their undergraduate nursing curricula. CONCLUSION: Although there is consensus in relation to the importance of patient safety across universities, and similarity in views about what knowledge, skills and attitudes should be taught, there were differences in: the amount of time allocated, who was responsible for the teaching and learning, and in which setting the learning occurred and was assessed. There was little indication of the existence of a systematic approach to learning patient safety, with most participants reporting emphasis on learning applied to infection control and medication safety.
BACKGROUND:Patient safety is a core principle of health professional practice and as such requires significant attention within undergraduate curricula. However, patient safety practice is complex requiring a broad range of skills and behaviours including the application of sound clinical knowledge within a range of health care contexts and cultures. There is very little research that explores how this is taught within Australian nursing curricula. OBJECTIVES: To examine how Australian nursing curricula address patient safety; identify where and how patient safety learning occurs; and describe who is responsible for facilitating this learning. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Eighteen universities across seven Australian States and Territories. PARTICIPANTS: The sample consisted of 18 nursing course coordinators or those responsible for the inclusion of patient safety content within a Bachelor of Nursing course at Australian universities. METHODS: An online survey was conducted to evaluate the patient safety content included and teaching methods used in Australian pre-registration nursing curricula. RESULTS: Approaches to teaching patient safety vary considerably between universities where patient safety tended to be integrated within undergraduate nursing course subjects rather than explicitly taught in separate, stand-alone subjects. Three-quarters of the surveyed staff believed patient safety was currently being adequately covered in their undergraduate nursing curricula. CONCLUSION: Although there is consensus in relation to the importance of patient safety across universities, and similarity in views about what knowledge, skills and attitudes should be taught, there were differences in: the amount of time allocated, who was responsible for the teaching and learning, and in which setting the learning occurred and was assessed. There was little indication of the existence of a systematic approach to learning patient safety, with most participants reporting emphasis on learning applied to infection control and medication safety.
Authors: Helena De Rezende; Aline Mirema F Vitorio; Alexandre Souza Morais; Ana Claudia A Garzin; Andressa Garcia Nicole; Ellen Regina Sevilla Quadrado; Daniela Campos de Andrade Lourenção; Maristela Santini Martins Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2022-03-08 Impact factor: 2.692