A Structured Method for Systematic and Integrated Occupational Safety and Health and Patient Safety Management Systems

Plain-language summary

The evidence unequivocally supports the association between work environment and patient safety. The negative impact of working conditions on both employee health and quality of care highlights the potential benefits of integrating these areas. It is therefore suggested that integrated systematic occupational health and patient safety management are crucial in managing the challenges faced by healthcare services today. The project aims to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a structured method for systematic and integrated occupational safety and health and patient safety management systems (SIOHPS). A process evaluation will be conducted alongside the main study to determine the intervention's specific outcomes and provide transferable guidance to a wider context. The intervention is designed to support both systematic occupational health and patient safety management systems using a Safety II-perspective. The intervention is comprised of several core components, including education to staff, support-functions and management, daily team reflections; as well as audit and feedback. A stepped wedge cluster-controlled design (SWD) will be used, with workplaces as clusters. The SWD will consist of three steps, with four clusters crossing over from the control to the intervention group at each step. All clusters will start as controls. At least twelve healthcare units with at least thirty employees per workplace from two different regions in Sweden will participate in the intervention. Workplaces that provide round-the-clock care are invited to participate in the study. Exclusion criteria are units with plans to implement any other occupational health and/or patient safety improvement work during the project period. At the individual level, inclusion criteria for employees include at least 50% of full-time work at the workplace. The SIOHPS project will contribute to the existing theory on safety culture interventions by considering the integration of these areas. The goal is to contribute to a safe environment for both employees and patients.

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