Patient's safety culture among Tunisian healthcare workers: results of a cross sectional study in university hospital.
BACKGROUND
Healthcare safety has become a public health priority in developed world. Development of safety culture care is fundamental pillar to any strategy for improving quality and safety care. The objective of this study is to measure level of patients' safety culture among healthcare professionals at university hospital, center Farhat Hached Sousse (Tunisia).


METHODS
We conducted, in 2013, a descriptive study among all licensed physicians (n= 116) and a representative sample of paramedical staff (n= 203) exercising at university hospital center Farhat Hached Sousse (Tunisia). Measuring instrument used is a valid questionnaire containing ten safety care dimensions. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 19.


RESULTS
The response rates were 74.1% for physicians and 100% for paramedical staff. Overall score of different dimensions varies between 32.7% and 68.8%. Dimension having most developed score (68.8%) was perception of "Frequency and reporting adverse events". Dimension with lowest score (32.7%) was "Management support for safety care".


CONCLUSIONS
Our study has allowed us to conclude that all dimensions of patients' safety culture need to be improved among our establishment's professionals. Therefore, more efforts are necessary in order to develop a security culture based on confidence, learning, communication and team work and rejecting sanction, blame, criminalization and punitive reporting.
Hospital Hygien Service, University Hospital Center Farhat Hached, Sousse, Tunisia.
Asma Ben
AB
Cheikh
Hospital Hygien Service, University Hospital Center Farhat Hached, Sousse, Tunisia.
Nabiha
N
Bouafia
Hospital Hygien Service, University Hospital Center Farhat Hached, Sousse, Tunisia.
Mohamed
M
Mahjoub
Hospital Hygien Service, University Hospital Center Farhat Hached, Sousse, Tunisia.
Olfa
O
Ezzi
Hospital Hygien Service, University Hospital Center Farhat Hached, Sousse, Tunisia.
Amel
A
Nouira
Hospital Hygien Service, University Hospital Center Farhat Hached, Sousse, Tunisia.
Mansour
M
Njah
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D061214:Patient Safety; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014416:Tunisia
Patient safety; Tunisia; health professionals; perception