Tracy Levett-Jones1, Patrea Andersen2, Fiona Bogossian3, Simon Cooper4, Stephen Guinea5, Ruben Hopmans6, Lisa McKenna7, Jacqui Pich8, Kerry Reid-Searl9, Philippa Seaton10. 1. University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Health, 235 Jones St, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia. Electronic address: tracy.levett-jones@uts.edu.au. 2. University of the Sunshine Coast, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, QLD 4556, Australia. Electronic address: panders1@usc.edu.au. 3. University of the Sunshine Coast, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, QLD 4556, Australia. Electronic address: fiona.bogossian@usc.edu.au. 4. School of Nursing and Health Professions, Federation University Australia, Room 2W-249, Gippsland Campus, Churchill, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: s.cooper@federation.edu.au. 5. Australian Catholic University, Faculty of Health Sciences, 14-18 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia. Electronic address: stephen.guinea@acu.edu.au. 6. Monash University, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Building B, McMahons Road, Frankston, Victoria 3199, Australia. Electronic address: ruben.hopmans@monash.edu. 7. La Trobe University, Kingsbury Drive, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia. Electronic address: l.mckenna@latrobe.edu.au. 8. University of Technology Sydney, 235 Jones St, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia. Electronic address: jacqueline.pich@uts.edu.au. 9. CQUniversity, Building 18, Yaamba Road, Rockhampton, QLD 4703, Australia. Electronic address: k.reid-searl@cqu.edu.au. 10. University of Otago, 72 Oxford Terrace, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand. Electronic address: philippa.seaton@otago.ac.nz.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Knowledge provides a foundation for safe and effective nursing practice. However, most previous studies have focused on exploring nursing students' self-reported perceptions of, or confidence in, their level of patient safety knowledge, rather than examining their actual levels of knowledge. OBJECTIVE: The overarching objective of this study was to examine final year nursing students' levels of knowledge about key patient safety concepts. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design was used for this study. Data collection was undertaken during 2018 using a web-based patient safety quiz with 45 multiple choice questions informed by the Patient Safety Competency Framework for Nursing Students. A Modified Angoff approach was used to establish a pass mark or 'cut score' for the quiz. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Nursing students enrolled in the final year of a pre-registration nursing program in Australia or New Zealand were invited to participate in the study. RESULTS: In total, 2011 final year nursing students from 23 educational institutions completed the quiz. Mean quiz scores were 29.35/45 or 65.23% (SD 5.63). Participants achieved highest scores in the domains of person-centred care and therapeutic communication, and lowest scores for infection prevention and control and medication safety. Based on the pass mark of 67.3% determined by the Modified Angoff procedure, 44.7% of students (n = 899) demonstrated passing performance on the quiz. For eight of the institutions, less than half of their students achieved a passing mark. CONCLUSIONS: Given the pivotal role that nurses play in maintaining patient safety, the results from this quiz raise important questions about the preparation of nursing students for safe and effective clinical practice. The institutional results also suggest the need for increased curricula attention to patient safety.
BACKGROUND: Knowledge provides a foundation for safe and effective nursing practice. However, most previous studies have focused on exploring nursing students' self-reported perceptions of, or confidence in, their level of patient safety knowledge, rather than examining their actual levels of knowledge. OBJECTIVE: The overarching objective of this study was to examine final year nursing students' levels of knowledge about key patient safety concepts. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design was used for this study. Data collection was undertaken during 2018 using a web-based patient safety quiz with 45 multiple choice questions informed by the Patient Safety Competency Framework for Nursing Students. A Modified Angoff approach was used to establish a pass mark or 'cut score' for the quiz. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Nursing students enrolled in the final year of a pre-registration nursing program in Australia or New Zealand were invited to participate in the study. RESULTS: In total, 2011 final year nursing students from 23 educational institutions completed the quiz. Mean quiz scores were 29.35/45 or 65.23% (SD 5.63). Participants achieved highest scores in the domains of person-centred care and therapeutic communication, and lowest scores for infection prevention and control and medication safety. Based on the pass mark of 67.3% determined by the Modified Angoff procedure, 44.7% of students (n = 899) demonstrated passing performance on the quiz. For eight of the institutions, less than half of their students achieved a passing mark. CONCLUSIONS: Given the pivotal role that nurses play in maintaining patient safety, the results from this quiz raise important questions about the preparation of nursing students for safe and effective clinical practice. The institutional results also suggest the need for increased curricula attention to patient safety.
Authors: Nuria Cantero-López; Víctor M González-Chordá; María Jesús Valero-Chillerón; Desirée Mena-Tudela; Laura Andreu-Pejó; Rafael Vila-Candel; Águeda Cervera-Gasch Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-02-03 Impact factor: 3.390