Evaluating patient safety culture at a private hospital

Objectives: To evaluate the patient safety culture perception of a private hospital staff in a less developed region, to compare these perceptions according to socio-demographic and professional characteristics of the staff, and to investigate the effects of these characteristics on the patient safety culture. Methods: The Turkish version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) was administered to all staff members (340 people) of a private hospital in the less developed eastern region of Turkey. Data was analysed by independent samples t-test, ANOVA, Welch statistics and multiple linear regression analyses. Results: The response rate was 76%. Among six dimensions of the SAQ (teamwork climate, safety climate, job satisfaction, stress recognition, perceptions of management, and working conditions), stress recognition was the dimension with the lowest average. According to multivariate analyses; being younger, having a position as a nurse or technician/technical staff, working day–night and having longer years in the current hospital have an effect on the staff's more negative safety culture perception (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study provides important information on patient safety attitudes of a private hospital staff in the least developed region of a country. Stress recognition and safety climate dimensions are the areas that primarily need improvement.