Practice challenges in patient safety.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Safety Research
• Sociology of Health

Background:

• The National Patient Safety Program (Programa Nacional de Segurança do Paciente) aims to improve healthcare quality.
• Understanding professional practice challenges is crucial for achieving patient safety objectives.
• Existing literature highlights resource limitations as a barrier in healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the professional practice challenges encountered in implementing the National Patient Safety Program.
• To identify barriers affecting the achievement of patient safety goals within a teaching hospital setting.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative case study approach was employed, utilizing Comprehensive Sociology principles.
• Data were collected from 31 participants (Patient Safety Center and nursing staff) via interviews, observation, and document analysis.
• Content Analysis was used for data interpretation.

Main Results:

• Three primary themes emerged: the gap between prescribed protocols and actual practice ('prescribed reality').
• The impact of material resources on the quality of patient care.
• Challenges related to human resources and their alignment with healthcare realities.

Conclusions:

• Inadequate physical infrastructure and insufficient material and human resources pose significant challenges.
• The primary obstacles to safe professional practice stem from the disconnect between established protocols and their practical application.
• Systemic issues, particularly the transition from policy to practice, require focused intervention to enhance patient safety.