Crisis management for Patient Safety Officers: lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic
Abstract Background There is no consensus for the role definition for Patient Safety Officers (PSOs) in healthcare during pandemics or other crises as opposed to their routine activities. This study aimed to examine the contribution of personality traits and systemic factors on the performance of PS...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Israel Journal of Health Policy Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13584-023-00577-6 |
| _version_ | 1797559143832223744 |
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| author | Ilya Kagan Dana Arad Riki Aharoni Yossi Tal Yaron Niv |
| author_facet | Ilya Kagan Dana Arad Riki Aharoni Yossi Tal Yaron Niv |
| author_sort | Ilya Kagan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background There is no consensus for the role definition for Patient Safety Officers (PSOs) in healthcare during pandemics or other crises as opposed to their routine activities. This study aimed to examine the contribution of personality traits and systemic factors on the performance of PSOs during the pandemic, and to compare these variables during the first and third waves of the Covid-19 pandemic in Israel. Methods This cross-sectional study invited 117 PSOs to complete a questionnaire addressing their role during the Covid-19 pandemic. The questionnaire included items concerning: Personal and socio-demographic characteristics; Uncertainty; Personal initiative; Burnout; Professional functioning; Patient Safety and Risk Management policies and practices; Organizational functioning; and Personal Involvement in risk management activities. Qualitative data was collected by two open-ended questions. Results A total of 78 PSOs (67%) completed the questionnaire. The results revealed that many PSOs reduced their involvement in risk management processes or even left their position temporarily in order to return to their primary specialization as clinicians. Only 51.3% and 57.7% reported practicing risk management in the first and third waves, respectively. The three main factors that kept PSOs functioning were managerial support, mobilization of their team, and the belief in the importance of their position. Conclusions A crisis generates uncertainty, a plethora of frequent and urgent tasks, and the need to adapt policy to changing circumstances and to the increased risks. The risk manager must be a member of the crisis management team and participate in every important discussion in order to represent essential staff and patient safety issues and ensure that these are fully addressed already in the early stages of planning. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:41:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ea27cb27eb774e2192495b4249f08ef6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-4015 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:41:16Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Israel Journal of Health Policy Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-ea27cb27eb774e2192495b4249f08ef62023-11-20T09:41:55ZengBMCIsrael Journal of Health Policy Research2045-40152023-09-0112111010.1186/s13584-023-00577-6Crisis management for Patient Safety Officers: lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemicIlya Kagan0Dana Arad1Riki Aharoni2Yossi Tal3Yaron Niv4Nursing Department, School of Health Professions, Ashkelon Academic CollegePatient Safety Division, Ministry of HealthPatient Safety Division, Ministry of HealthRisk Management and Patient Safety Advising ServicesAdelson Faculty of Medicine, Ariel UniversityAbstract Background There is no consensus for the role definition for Patient Safety Officers (PSOs) in healthcare during pandemics or other crises as opposed to their routine activities. This study aimed to examine the contribution of personality traits and systemic factors on the performance of PSOs during the pandemic, and to compare these variables during the first and third waves of the Covid-19 pandemic in Israel. Methods This cross-sectional study invited 117 PSOs to complete a questionnaire addressing their role during the Covid-19 pandemic. The questionnaire included items concerning: Personal and socio-demographic characteristics; Uncertainty; Personal initiative; Burnout; Professional functioning; Patient Safety and Risk Management policies and practices; Organizational functioning; and Personal Involvement in risk management activities. Qualitative data was collected by two open-ended questions. Results A total of 78 PSOs (67%) completed the questionnaire. The results revealed that many PSOs reduced their involvement in risk management processes or even left their position temporarily in order to return to their primary specialization as clinicians. Only 51.3% and 57.7% reported practicing risk management in the first and third waves, respectively. The three main factors that kept PSOs functioning were managerial support, mobilization of their team, and the belief in the importance of their position. Conclusions A crisis generates uncertainty, a plethora of frequent and urgent tasks, and the need to adapt policy to changing circumstances and to the increased risks. The risk manager must be a member of the crisis management team and participate in every important discussion in order to represent essential staff and patient safety issues and ensure that these are fully addressed already in the early stages of planning.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13584-023-00577-6Patient Safety OfficerRisk managementPatient safetyPandemicCovid-19Uncertainty |
| spellingShingle | Ilya Kagan Dana Arad Riki Aharoni Yossi Tal Yaron Niv Crisis management for Patient Safety Officers: lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic Israel Journal of Health Policy Research Patient Safety Officer Risk management Patient safety Pandemic Covid-19 Uncertainty |
| title | Crisis management for Patient Safety Officers: lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Crisis management for Patient Safety Officers: lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Crisis management for Patient Safety Officers: lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Crisis management for Patient Safety Officers: lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Crisis management for Patient Safety Officers: lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | crisis management for patient safety officers lessons learned from the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | Patient Safety Officer Risk management Patient safety Pandemic Covid-19 Uncertainty |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13584-023-00577-6 |
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