Safety consciousness: assignments that expand focus beyond the bedside

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Traditional nursing education often focuses on bedside care, potentially limiting broader safety awareness.
• There is a need to cultivate safety consciousness extending beyond immediate patient interactions.
• Integrating systems-level thinking is crucial for effective healthcare quality improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate practice-based learning activities for baccalaureate nursing students.
• To stimulate safety consciousness beyond the point of care.
• To assess the integration of quality and safety concepts and competencies.

Main Methods:

• Designed practice-based learning activities focusing on systems-level thinking and process evaluation.
• Incorporated reflective components for students to evaluate their role as change agents.
• Assessed student integration of theoretical concepts and achievement of Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) competencies.

Main Results:

• Students demonstrated integration of concepts like change theory, systems theory, and quality improvement.
• Assignments fostered systems-level thinking regarding facility characteristics, team communication, and improvement campaigns.
• Reflective components promoted critical reflection on practice, change readiness, and communication skills.

Conclusions:

• Practice-based learning activities effectively enhance nursing students' safety consciousness beyond the bedside.
• The activities facilitated the integration of essential quality and safety concepts and QSEN competencies.
• Reflective practice is a valuable tool for developing nurses as agents of change in healthcare settings.