Educating future leaders in patient safety

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Education
• Patient Safety
• Health Systems Science

Background:

• Limited attention to patient safety in health care professional education leads to a poor understanding of risks.
• There is a growing global recognition of the need to integrate patient safety into health care curricula.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the World Health Organization's Patient Safety Curriculum Guide: Multiprofessional Edition.
• To accelerate the incorporation of patient safety teaching into higher education.

Main Methods:

• The guide employs a health system-focused, team-dependent approach for integrated learning.
• It offers practical recommendations for educators across various teaching contexts.
• It recommends shared learning among students from different professions.

Main Results:

• The guide facilitates the advancement of patient safety education globally.
• It enhances students' capacity for effective multidisciplinary teamwork.
• It guides educators on teaching methods to foster an evidence-based approach to patient risk reduction.

Conclusions:

• The curriculum guide supports the establishment of supportive learning environments for patient safety.
• It encourages the integration of patient safety topics across all clinical practice areas.
• This initiative aims to cultivate a culture of safety among future health care professionals.