Contributing factors to patient safety incidents at three selected public hospitals in Gauteng province, South Africa: Perspectives from nursing staff and quality assurance managers

Abstract

Background: Patient safety incidents are a major concern in healthcare delivery, impacting patient care and health outcomes. Understanding the factors contributing to patient safety incidents is important for developing targeted strategies. Identifying these factors will enable healthcare organisations to formulate effective approaches to prevent and mitigate incidents.
Objectives: This study aimed to assess the contributing factors to patient safety incidents at the three selected public hospitals in Gauteng province, South Africa. The research was conducted at the three selected public hospitals in Gauteng province, South Africa, categorised as central, regional and district.
Method: A descriptive quantitative approach was utilised. Five hundred questionnaires were administered to nursing staff and quality assurance managers. A stratified sampling strategy was employed. The data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 26.0.
Results: Work or environment (92.72%), organisational or service (91.00%), staff (87.40%) and patient (90.97%) factors were identified as the contributing factors to patient safety incidents.
Conclusion: The overall impression of these results is that multiple factors contribute to patient safety incidents, with varying levels of perceived impact. The findings of the study imply the need for policy development, provision of adequate staffing, consumables and equipment, staff training on developed policies and procedures, and embarking on continuous quality improvement initiatives.
Contribution: This study contributes to the understanding of factors contributing to patient safety incidents within the public hospitals and furnishes healthcare leaders with focused areas for improvement.