Advanced Practice Nurses' Experiences on Patient Safety Culture in Hospital-Based Home Healthcare: A Qualitative...

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Limited research exists on patient safety culture in home healthcare settings, particularly in South Korea.
• South Korea offers hospital-based, public health center-based, and long-term care insurance-based home healthcare services.
• Advanced practice nurses in hospital-based home healthcare play a critical role in ensuring safe patient transitions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences of patient safety culture among advanced practice nurses in hospital-based home healthcare in South Korea.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative descriptive study was employed.
• Twenty advanced practice nurses were recruited from twelve hospitals across three South Korean cities via purposive sampling.
• Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews and analyzed using inductive and deductive content analyses.

Main Results:

• Three primary categories emerged: teamwork climate, safety climate, and working conditions.
• Teamwork climate encompassed collaboration among patients, caregivers, nurses, medical institutions, and community partners.
• Safety climate involved commitment from nurses, institutions, and the government, while working conditions focused on frontline environments and institutional support.

Conclusions:

• A robust patient safety culture is vital for seamless transitions from hospital to home healthcare.
• Key aspects include effective communication with caregivers, strong community partnerships, understanding home environments, and prioritizing nurse safety.
• These elements contribute to a continuum of care for patients receiving home healthcare services.