title: Safety culture in anaesthesiology: basic concepts and practical application.
abstract: This article starts from a social science viewpoint and reviews the concepts and measurement of safety culture and climate in their original industrial settings and in health care. Typical items measured and generic characteristics of a positive safety culture are described. The role of personality, professional group membership and anaesthesiology-specific knowledge and expertise in shaping notions of risk and safety and safety behaviour are discussed. The difficulties of changing human behaviour are outlined, and the pivotal role which anaesthesiologists can play in promoting a positive safety culture, both individually and within their teams and organisations, is highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Lancaster Patient Safety Research Unit, Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Ashton Road, Lancaster, UK.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arfanis
authors.forename: Evridiki
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fioratou
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000776:Anesthesiology; D006801:Humans; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010551:Personality; D017751:Safety Management