Improving patient safety culture should be a priority among health center administrators. Healthcare staff should be encouraged to report errors without fear of punitive action.

BackgroundThe Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPS) is used to assess safety culture in many countries. Accordingly, the questionnaire has been translated into Turkish for the study of patient safety culture in Turkish hospitals. The aim of this study is threefold: to determine the validity and reliability of the translated form of HSOPS, to evaluate physicians' and nurses' perceptions of patient safety in Turkish public hospitals, and to compare finding with U.S. hospital settings.MethodsPhysicians and nurses working in all public hospitals in Konya, a large city in Turkey, were asked to complete a self-administrated patient safety culture survey (n = 309). Data collection was carried out using the Turkish version of HSOPS, developed by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Data were summarized as percentages, means, and SD values. Factor analysis, correlation coefficient, Cronbach's alpha, ANOVA, and t tests were employed in statistical analyses. Items on patient safety were categorized into 10 factors. Factor loadings and internal consistencies of dimension items were high.ResultsMost of the scores related to dimensions, and the overall patient safety score (44%) were lower than the benchmark score. "Teamwork within hospital units" received the highest score (70%), and the lowest score belonged to the "frequency of events reported" (15%). The study revealed that more than three quarters of the physicians and nurses were not reporting errors.ConclusionThe Turkish version of HSOPS was found to be valid and reliable in determining patient safety culture. This tool will be helpful in tracking improvements and in heightening awareness on patient safety culture in Turkey.

The objective of the study was to identify job satisfaction levels and their causes among health care workers employed at public health centres. A survey was therefore carried out of health care workers in 21 health centres in Konya, Turkey. The Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire was used to investigate job satisfaction. The satisfaction score and proportion of those satisfied were determined according to demographic features. The percentage of satisfied health care workers was 60% and the satisfaction score was 3.8 +/- 0.5. Midwives had the lowest satisfaction scores. Working environment and income were the most important factors for dissatisfaction. There was no correlation between global satisfaction and other demographic variables. These results showed that the health care workers at public health centres in the province have low satisfaction scores. Improving working conditions and income may improve the overall quality of health care provision.

Violence in the workplace is an increasing occupational health concern worldwide. Health care workers are at high risk of assault. To develop, monitor, and manage prevention policies, baseline data should be available. This cross-sectional study was designed to determine the current extent of workplace violence nationwide in Turkey. The study population of 12.944 health care workers was a stratified sample of all health care workers (612,639) in the country. A probabilistic sampling was made on the basis of the "multistage stratified random cluster sampling method." This study was conducted by a structured questionnaire in a face-to-face interview. The questionnaire items were adapted and translated into Turkish based on questionnaires of International Labor Organization, International Council of Nurses, World Health Organization, and Public Services International. The percentage of health care workers who experienced workplace violence in Turkey in the previous 12 months was 44.7%. The types of violence included physical 6.8%, verbal 43.2%, mobbing (bullying) 2.4%, and sexual harassment 1%. Multivariate analysis showed that level of health care system, type of institution, gender, occupation, age, working hours, and shift work were independent risk factors for experiencing workplace violence ( p < .05). Our study indicates that the workplace violence among health care workers is a significant problem. The results of the study can serve as the basis for future analytical studies and for development of appropriate prevention efforts.

GCS and fibrinolytic markers measured within the first three hours were useful in determining the prognosis of patients with isolated head trauma.

The results suggest that social and environmental domains of life quality are low in elderly assisted living facilities. Social activities should be diversified for elderly people staying in assisted living facilities to improve social relationships. Physical and psychological health of females in assisted living facilities should be comprehensively supported by professionals. Alternatively, elderly people may be professionally supported to live in their own homes.

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Moderate effectiveness on psoriatic nail was found in the two treatment agents and there were no significant differences in efficacy between the groups. A significant improvement was detected in methotrexate group for the nail matrix findings, and in cyclosporine group for the nail bed findings.