A comparative study of patient safety culture from departed and on-the-job nurses’ viewpoints

Purpose This study aims to first investigate and compare the perceptions of departed and on-the-job nurses in the patient safety culture and then identify critical dimension(s) that might affect these two groups. Design/methodology/approach A chi-squared test is employed to find critical demographic variables between departed and on-the-job nurses. In addition, linear regression with forward selection is used to identify the essential dimensions of the Chinese version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (CSAQ) that affect the overall satisfaction of the patient safety culture in a regional teaching hospital in Taiwan. A total of 196 departed nurses and 386 on-the-job nurses participate in this study. Findings No significant differences in eight dimensions along with the overall satisfaction of the patient safety culture are found between these two groups. For departed nurses, the strongest predictor of the overall satisfaction of the patient safety culture is perceptions of management, while safety climate and teamwork climate have significant relationships with the overall satisfaction. On the other hand, working conditions is the most essential dimension influencing the overall satisfaction from on-the-job nurses’ viewpoints followed by perceptions of management and emotional exhaustion. The perceptions of management are the only factor that influences the overall satisfaction for both groups. Practical implications Measuring the patient safety culture cannot predict nurses’ turnover; however, some aspects of dimensions from the CSAQ are associated with the overall satisfaction of the patient safety culture. Originality/value Health practitioners should focus on implementing known strategies to improve the overall satisfaction, including support from leadership, sufficient resources and burnout alleviation.