NURSES’ COMPLIANCE WITH PATIENT SAFETY STANDARDS IN PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNITS AT AIN SHAMS UNIVERSITY PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL
Samah F. Fakhry* and Fatma M. Amin**
*Department Nursing Administration Faculty of Nursing Ain Shams University
**Department Pediatric Nursing Faculty of Nursing. Mansoura University
Patient safety is a priority for nurses, including those who work in pediatric intensive care units. The study aim was to assess nurses' compliance with patient safety standards in pediatric intensive care units at Ain Shams University Pediatric Hospital. Using a cross-sectional-descriptive study on 50 nurses working in various pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). Data were collected through awareness and knowledge questionnaires regarding pediatric patient safety standards, observation checklist for nurses’ practice, and audit sheet for documented pediatric patient safety standards. The results showed that only about one third of nurses had satisfactory awareness and knowledge levels, while only 24% and 30 % respectively of them had adequate practice and documentation of pediatric patient safety standards. A moderate to strong statistically significant positive correlation was detected between nurses' awareness scores of pediatric patient safety standards and their knowledge, practice and documentation (r=0.943, 0. 426, 0. 395). It was concluded that nurses in the pediatric intensive care unit have low levels of awareness, knowledge, and practice regarding pediatric patient safety standards. It was recommended that all pediatric hospital management levels must support a culture of safety to improve awareness, and competencies of patient safety in pediatric intensive care units. Review pediatric patient safety policies and procedures to be consisting with infra-structure, available resources, and design training programs to improve nurses’ practice of patient safety standards in pediatric intensive care units.
June 2012