Improving the implementation of patient safety by nursing students using nursing instructors trained in the use of quality circles

Abstract

BackgroundIt is recognised worldwide that the skills of nursing students concerning patient safety is still not optimal. The role of clinical instructors is to instil in students the importance of patient safety. Therefore, it is important to have competent clinical instructors. Their experience can be enhanced through the application of quality circles. This study identifies the effect of quality circles on improving the safety of patients of nursing students. Patient safety is inseparable from the quality of nursing education. Existing research shows that patient safety should be emphasised at all levels of the healthcare education system. In hospitals, the ratio between nursing students and clinical instructors is disproportionately low. In Indonesia, incident data relating to patient safety involving students is not well documented, and the incidents often occur in the absence of a clinical instructor.MethodsThis study used a quasi-experimental research design with pre-test and post-test non-equivalent control groups. The aim of the project was to explore the implications of the quality circle on clinical instructors by comparing the students’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices of control and intervention groups. A questionnaire will be conducted to evaluate the implementation of patient safety and the impact of the intervention. The data were statistically analysed using independent t tests. The intervention was the implementation of quality circles that focused on patient safety issues for the use of clinical instructors to assess and guide student nurse behaviour in regard to patient safety. The authors of this study trained the clinical instructors on how to use quality circle methods to solve nursing problems especially with relevance to the patient safety issues of students.ResultsThe results showed a significant increase in the behaviour of nursing students towards patient safety issues (p < 0.001; α = 0.05).ConclusionsThe implementation of quality circles has a significant effect on patient safety. Therefore, it is recommended to implement quality circles as a problem-solving technique to optimize patient safety.

Perception, Knowledge and Attitude Towards Patient Safety Among Nursing Students in Private College

“…According to Alquwez (2019), the higher a student's year level or rank, the more skilled and knowledgeable they regarded patient safety. Findings indicate that the higher their study levels, the more chances that they will learn about patient safety values, which leads to a higher level of confidence in patient safety practices (Noviyanti, Handiyani, & Gayatri, 2018).…”

“…According to Alquwez et al ( 2019), the higher the year level of students or the more senior in rank, the more professional and informed about patient safety. Finding shows that the higher the level of their study, the more significant the exposure to learning opportunities relevant to patient safety principles, which leads to a higher level of trust in patient safety practices (Noviyanti, Handiyani, & Gayatri, 2018).…”

“…Students have doubts about their abilities, which contributes to anxiety. About 75% of nursing students have communication issues during the clinical learning process, and 24% of them say it's challenging to cope with these challenging situations (Noviyanti et al, 2018). Since this study involved only one private university nursing student, more research in different hospital or institution settings is needed to help us identify different aspects of patient safety, improve our understanding of causes, and improve the lecturer's ability to teach patient safety in nursing education and practice.…”

Undergraduate nursing students’ self-reported professional behaviour at the University of Namibia

“…This result is in line with an earlier study that reported that nursing students felt confident about their clinical safety skills (Huang et al 2020 :1). However, other studies reported contradictory results showing that nursing students had a low competence on patient safety (Noviyanti, Handiyani & Gayatri 2018 :12). The differences in the results suggest that students tend to overestimate their competence in self-reported measurements only for objective measurements to show that their competence is not that high.…”

Perception and Knowledge on Factors Affecting Patient Safety Among Nurses

“…Patient safety is inseparable from the quality of nursing education. Existing research shows that the introduction of patient safety should be part of the education at all levels of the healthcare system (Noviyanti, 2018). One study stated that the quality of education delivered to nursing students can significantly reduce medical errors and improve the safety culture and quality of service.…”