The Introduction of “Safety Science” into an Undergraduate Nursing Programme at a Large University in the United Kingdom

Abstract

Implementing safety science {a term adopted by the authors which incorporates both patient safety and human factors (Sherwood, G. (2011). Integrating quality and safety science in nursing education and practice. Journal of Research in Nursing, 16(3), 226-240. doi: 10.1177/1744987111400960)} into healthcare programmes is a major challenge facing healthcare educators worldwide (National Advisory Group on the Safety of Patients in England, 2013; World Health Organisation, 2009). Patient safety concerns relating to human factors have been well-documented over the years, and the root cause(s) of as many as 65-80 % of these events are linked to human error (Dunn et al., 2007; Reason, 2005). This paper will describe how safety science education was embedded into a pre-registration nursing programme at a large UK university. The authors argue that the processes described in this paper, may be successfully applied to other pre-registration healthcare programmes in addition to nursing.

Multi‐level analysis of national nursing students’ disclosure of patient safety concerns

“…Over the last 20 years, health care systems have been focusing on improving patient safety (PS) by developing educational and clinical policies aimed at implementing the safety culture . According to the safety culture theory, different individual, organisational and cultural factors can affect the overall safety of a health care institution (HCI) .…”

Improving knowledge and compliance with infection control Standard Precautions among undergraduate nursing students in Jordan

“…Thus, nursing students must be prepared to demonstrate professional accountability in infection control and adhere to standards of safe practice. 8,9 Nurses represent the largest labor group in health care and they have the greatest degree of contact with patients. 10 In addition, nursing students are at even greater risk of contamination and sharps injuries during clinical training precisely because they are inexperienced.…”