Healthcare professionals ’ perceptions of patient safety in European emergency departments: a comparative analysis of survey results

This study aimed to identify safety challenges through a comparative analysis of healthcare professionals ’ perceptions of patient safety in European EDs. In early 2023, a validated questionnaire was distributed to European ED professionals, meeting specific response rate criteria. The questionnaire included five safety domains and additional questions about infection control and team morale, with 36 ordinal scale questions. Responses ranged in five levels from “Never” to “Always,” and the scores were summed to calculate the total safety score (TSS). The study examined the impact of per capita healthcare expenditure on safety perceptions using descriptive statistics, correlation assessme nts and SPSS 17 used for the analysis. The analysis of 1048 valid responses from 24 European countries revealed significant variability in safety perceptions. Teamwork scored highest, signifying effective collaboration. Common safety issues included overcrowding, patient flow management, understaffi ng, limited training and facilities for mental illnesses. TSS showed correlation with team morale and infection control, but no correlation with per capita healthcare expenditure. This comparative study underlines the disparities in patient safety perceptions across European EDs. Each country displa yed unique safety concerns. Safety perceptions did not align with per capita healthcare expenditure, indicating that addressing ED safety needs multifaceted strategies. Policymakers can lever...
Source: Internal and Emergency Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research