Safety culture among healthcare professionals in psychiatric clinics: a study from a psychiatric hospital in Türkiye

İngilizce (OpenAlex)

BACKGROUND: The perceptions of safety culture in psychiatric clinics are critically important for both patient safety and the sustainability of high-quality care delivery. This study aims to assess the levels of safety culture among mental health professionals working in psychiatric clinics. METHODS: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 205 healthcare professionals, including 103 nurses and 102 psychiatrists, employed in a psychiatric hospital in Türkiye. Data were collected between 24 June and 27 November 2024, using a demographic information form and the Patient Safety Culture Scale. The scale consists of items rated on a four-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly disagree to 4 = Strongly agree). RESULTS: The mean overall safety culture score of the participants was 2.73 ± 0.46. The highest mean score was found in the "employee behaviour" subdimension (2.78 ± 0.51), while the lowest was in the "management and leadership" subdimension (2.68 ± 0.47). Unmarried participants had significantly lower scores in the management and leadership dimension compared to their married counterparts (p < 0.05). Participants who were unhappy with working in the psychiatric clinic and those who had not received patient safety training scored significantly lower (p < 0.05). Professionals with ≤ 5 years of experience in psychiatry scored higher in some subdimensions compared to those with > 5 years of experience (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The perception of the safety culture among healthcare professionals in psychiatric clinics is generally positive, but still needs improvement. Factors such as educational status, job satisfaction, and participation in patient safety training significantly influence perceptions of the safety culture.