Safety, an issue of increasing scrutiny and concern, plays an important role in the hospital setting. The manipulation and consideration of a patient’s environment regarding optimum safety promotes the individual’s health as supported by Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory. To ensure a thorough assessment of safety within an institution, it is especially important to evaluate the patients’ views. The purpose of this study was to examine hospital patients’ perceptions of safety procedures and precautions within the hospital. A survey tool used to measure these observations was created by the student based on the 2004 JCAHO National Patient Safety Goals. A total of 30 personal patient interviews were conducted from a convenience sample of inpatient adults at this hospital in Western Michigan. Data analysis was descriptive in nature using SPSS statistical software. Overall, patients were satisfied with hospital safety procedures and precautions with a mean satisfaction score of 9.5 on a scale of 1 to 10. Limitations include the fact that convenience sampling was utilized and that not all hospital units were accessed due to the high-risk qualities of the patients there, potentially skewing the sample. Also, a relatively small sample size was used. The results of this study will contribute to the nursing and hospital staff members’ knowledge of patient perceptions of safety and will aid the hospital in its analysis of quality assurance regarding safety procedures.
Session #1222 - Undergraduate Submissions
The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)