Measuring Patient Safety Climate in Acute Stroke Therapy

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Safety
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Acute stroke treatment is time-sensitive and involves interdisciplinary teams, presenting inherent challenges to patient safety.
• Interface issues are common in acute stroke care settings.
• The Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) is a validated tool for assessing patient safety climate.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the applicability and psychometric properties of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) in the context of acute stroke care for the first time.
• To assess the patient safety climate within multiprofessional stroke teams.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted among the multiprofessional stroke team at seven German university hospitals during the STREAM trial (NCT00032282).
• An anonymous 33-item questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale was administered.
• Statistical analyses, including Confirmatory Factor Analysis, were performed to examine psychometric properties and descriptive findings.

Main Results:

• A total of 164 questionnaires were completed, achieving a response rate of 66.4%.
• The original 6-factor structure of the SAQ demonstrated adequate fit with the data, and the instrument showed strong internal consistency (α = 0.88).
• Significant differences in SAQ scores were observed between physicians and nurses, and among physicians based on their professional experience duration.

Conclusions:

• The Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) is a suitable and practical tool for measuring patient safety in acute stroke care.
• The patient safety climate in acute stroke care appears comparable to other high-risk medical specialties.
• There are identified areas for potential improvement in patient safety within acute stroke care settings.