Improving the measurement of patient safety : development of a new patient safety climate survey

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a theoretical framework for describing the mechanisms behind the creation of a patient safety climate. This framework was used to develop a new healthcare safety climate survey that measured both aspects of patient safety and occupational safety. The psychometric properties of this survey were tested using a group of Canadian healthcare professionals. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) indicated a four factor model of patient safety climate and a two factor model of occupational safety climate. In addition, this study also examined the relationship between patient safety and occupational safety. Correlational analyses revealed a moderate and positive correlation between patient safety and occupational safety. Overall, the results from this study offer some evidence of the good psychometric properties of the healthcare safety climate survey; however further development and validation of the instrument is necessary before drawing any conclusions.