The association of the nurse work environment and patient safety in pediatric acute care.
Lake ET, Roberts KE, Agosto PD, et al. The Association of the Nurse Work Environment and Patient Safety in Pediatric Acute Care. J Patient Saf. 2021;17(8):e1546-e1552. doi:10.1097/pts.0000000000000559.
The nursing work environment affects patient safety. This cross-sectional study surveyed nearly 2000 pediatric acute care nurses about their work environment and safety culture. Researchers measured the hospital work environment using a validated scale, and they assessed safety using the AHRQ Survey on Patient Safety Culture. A culture of blame and fear of speaking up remained prevalent among nurses participating in this survey. As with prior studies, investigators found an association between a high-functioning work environment and positive safety culture. The authors recommend enhancing pediatric acute care work environments for nurses in order to improve patient safety. A previous PSNet interview discussed how nurse staffing and the work environment can affect patient safety and outcomes.