title: [Perception of safety culture in Spanish intensive care units].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Promoting a safety culture in intensive care units (ICUs) is a basic strategy to improve patient safety. The aim of this study was to measure the safety culture in Spanish ICUs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We drafted a questionnaire based on the Safety Climate Survey (SCS) and the Safety Attitude Questionnaire-ICU model (SAQ-ICU). A translation-back translation method was employed together with focus group discussions. A questionnaire was designed that analyzed six dimensions: teamwork climate, safety climate, perceptions of management, job satisfaction, working conditions, and stress recognition. The survey was delivered to 22 Spanish ICUs. The results were analyzed to detect strengths and weaknesses in the ICU safety culture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The internal consistency of the survey was 0.92. The response rate was 29.8%. The distribution of positive responses by dimension was as follows: job satisfaction: 65.2%, teamwork climate: 62.1%, safety climate: 50.7%, perceptions of management: 30.3%, working conditions: 43.3%, and stress recognition: 68.8%. Some strengths were detected, such as the percentages who responded affirmatively to the statements "I like my job" (95.1%) and "briefings are important for patient safety" (86.8%). We found significant differences by hospital size: attitudes were better in ICU staff in smaller hospitals than in large hospitals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The safety culture is poor in Spanish ICUs, but awareness is greater in smaller hospitals. Nevertheless, some strengths were identified, such as communication. Tools to promote free reporting of errors and incident reports should be provided.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Intensiva, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Zaragoza, Spain. igutierrcia@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Cía
authors.forename: Paz Merino
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: de Cos
authors.forename: Aina Yáñez
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Juan
authors.forename: Blanca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Obón-Azuara
authors.forename: Ángela
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Alonso-Ovies
authors.forename: María Cruz
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Martin-Delgado
authors.forename: Joaquín
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Álvarez-Rodríguez
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aibar-Remón
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000592:standards*; D017751:Safety Management; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires