Patients' Perspectives of Engagement as a Safety Strategy

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Communication

Background:

• Patient engagement is crucial for improving healthcare outcomes.
• Understanding patient perspectives on safety strategies is essential for effective implementation.
• Surgical patients with cancer face unique challenges in maintaining safety during hospitalization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore hospitalized surgical cancer patients' views on patient engagement as a safety strategy.
• To identify factors influencing patient engagement in their own safety.
• To understand the patient's perspective on their role in ensuring safety during hospitalization.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive study utilizing grounded theory.
• Maximum variation sampling was employed.
• Data were collected from 13 hospitalized surgical patients with cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Main Results:

• Three overarching themes emerged regarding patient perceptions of engagement as a safety strategy.
• Direct messaging (e.g., "your safety") and teaching specific safety behaviors increased engagement and awareness.
• Patients viewed their involvement in safety as a right, not an obligation, though willing to accept some responsibility.

Conclusions:

• Clear, inviting, and multimodal communication is key to enhancing patient engagement in safety.
• Nurses' assessment of patient capacity to engage is vital for encouraging participation without burden.
• Tailoring communication to patient perspectives empowers engagement and supports patient safety.