An effective safety culture requires safety sub-culture design
‘Safety culture is like a garden: to bloom, it must be planned, planted and tended.’ This is a key message from a systematic review of safety culture and an excellent reminder that culture is never ‘set and forget’.
This article is an early predictor of what we consistently see in the current literature on the benefits of culture improvement on staff wellbeing. It notes that a strong safety culture can lead to less burnout, lower turnover and error rates among staff, to support better care.
An interesting key success factor identified in safety culture implementation, was that successful safety culture programs are not one size fits all. We often talk about safety culture from an organisational perspective, but this review clarifies that success lies in targeted and specific approaches.
The review shows that leaders of effective safety programs recognised the unique challenges and risks of different services and designed their culture-building approaches accordingly. Customising strategies to fit the specific needs and dynamics of each service supported meaningful improvements in safety culture. This tailored approach meant that the interventions addressed distinct risks and workflows of each department, ultimately enhancing overall healthcare quality and worker safety. In turn, the safety culture of these services evolved as staff saw and felt the effects of the enhancements.
For example, creating safety in the urgent environment of an emergency room requires rapid response protocols and continuous team communication. While the surgical department might focus more on meticulous pre-operative checklists and sterile techniques. Leadership is crucial in this context, as department heads must understand the specific demands of their areas, to plan and implement safety practices accordingly. Supporting fit-for-purpose implementation of safety attitudes and protocols led to a more effective and cohesive safety culture across the organisation.
The article emphasises that real, lasting improvements in healthcare safety require a targeted and long-term commitment. Quick fixes or blanket approaches are not enough. Hospitals must continuously tend to and evolve their safety culture as a constant work in progress, and tailor them to differing needs.
All accessed 15/7/2024:
Finn, R., Ward, J., & Barratt, H. (2010). Effect of interventions to improve safety culture on healthcare workers in hospital settings: a systematic review of the international literature. BMJ Quality & Safety, 19(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1136/qshc.2008.029793