The perception of clinical risk among students of different health professions: a multicentre study

the need for health care to be safe is increasingly guiding the development of policies to improve clinical practice and education; risk management and patient safety are essential competencies for health professionals.

to examine how students working towards different degrees in Italy perceived their competence in clinical risk management and patient safety when learning in the classroom and the clinical setting.

the Italian version of the H-PEPSS questionnaire was given to 154 students; 78 were studying for a nursing degree and 76 were on the cardio-circulatory pathophysiology and cardiovascular perfusion techniques (CPCPT) degree course.

nearly half of the students (46.10%) did not feel confident about their competence in patient safety and risk management during clinical training.

significant differences in confidence between the two types of students were found in many areas, including in critical aspects of clinical risk management. However, both types of students had similar levels of confidence in some essential areas.