Interface between accreditation and patient safety: nursing team perspectives.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Practice
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Accreditation is a recognized framework for healthcare quality improvement.
• Understanding nursing perspectives on accreditation's impact on patient safety is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the relationship between healthcare accreditation and patient safety.
• To gather insights from the nursing team's viewpoint.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative, descriptive-exploratory study.
• Semi-structured interviews with 14 nursing professionals in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) of an accredited hospital.
• Thematic content analysis of interview transcripts.

Main Results:

• Nursing professionals perceive accreditation as a driver for specific patient safety improvements.
• Some safety advancements are linked to accreditation visits, while others are viewed as independent of the quality seal.
• Emerging themes highlight a dual perception of accreditation's role in patient safety.

Conclusions:

• The relationship between accreditation and patient safety is multifaceted, being both dependent and independent.
• Accreditation acts as a catalyst for targeted safety enhancements.
• Patient safety extends beyond the scope of the accreditation process itself, indicating a need for critical evaluation by nursing staff.