The Importance Of Safety Culture

re very complex organizations. However, the research presented above illustrates viable examples of creating a strong safety culture. Training programs can be successful when the organizational subcultures are incorporated into interventions (Wilson-Evered et al. 2001; Stina Sellgren et al. 2007; MacDonald 2011; Cohn 2009, Anand et al. 2012; Wilson-Evered, et al. 2001). The research has several implications for healthcare professionals (training professionals and leadership).
Implications for Training Professionals The research suggests that training professionals, working in healthcare, should have a great understanding of the current complexities within the organization for which they work (Ginsburg et al. 2005; S. J. Singer et al. 2003).

Supporting a culture of safety is not a short-lived intervention like, training staff on a new time clock software. Creating a culture of safety is a constant and ongoing journey. Therefore, leadership development (physician and non-physician) should be one aspect of any intervention. Leaders should aim to visible, remove barriers for their staff, and provide strategic focus for the organization Wilson-Evered et al. 2001). To support a culture safety, leaders should not man a passive position, but rather they should have an active position to promote expectations, support the problem solving skills of their people, and manage deviances (physician behaviors). A training professional cannot do support this cultural shift for them. Leadership should consider the following

There are many different systems (communication pathways and subcultures) to address when creating or sustaining a culture of safety. Training professionals working in acute hospitals analyze the subcultures within their organization. A well planned assessment process before implementing any interventions should indicate areas in which additional support is needed. For example, leadership development, front-line staff engagement and empowerment, and cultural performance measures. Training is beneficial when an organization wants to educate their personnel on the expectations, policies, and communication pathways that are available to them (Liane Ginsburg et al. 2005). However, after training hospital personnel should have continuous support to escalate safety issues in real time, leadership should be to visible support their engagement, and physicians are considered partners instead of barriers (Thun et al. 2010; S. J. Singer et al. 2003; Cohn 2009; Bould et al. 2015; Anand et al. 2014). Throughout the assessment process, health care professionals may also need to indicate if nursing staff turnover or shortage is a threat to their organization. Sellgren et al. 2011 and Allen 2008, warn leaders that shortages and high turnover can threaten the culture of safety. The goal of the culture of safety is to decrease the amount of deaths and catastrophic events that occur in health care organizations, thus decreases the cost of health care