Impact of COVID-19 on professional nursing practice environments and patient safety culture

Aim: To analyse the impact of COVID-19 on professional nursing practice environments and patient safety culture. Background: The relationship between work environments and patient safety has been internationally recognized. In 2020, the pandemic imposed enormous challenges, yet the impact on these variables remains unknown. Method: This is a quantitative observational study, conducted in a Portuguese hospital, with 403 registered nurses. A self-completion questionnaire was used. Results: The impact on the Structure and Outcome components of nursing professional practice environments was positive. Although the Process component remained favourable to quality of care, a negative trend was confirmed in almost all dimensions. The results regarding safety culture showed weaknesses; 'teamwork within units' was the only dimension that maintained a positive culture. Conclusion: Positive responses regarding patient safety were significantly associated with the quality of the nursing professional practice environment. The need to invest in all dimensions of safety culture emerges to promote positive professional environments. Implications for nursing management: Improving professional nursing practice environments can be achieved through managers' investment in the participation and involvement of nurses in the policies and functioning of institutions, as well as promoting an open, fair and participatory safety culture that encourages reporting events and provides adequate support for professionals.

Automated summary

This quantitative observational study conducted in a Portuguese hospital with 403 registered nurses aimed to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on professional nursing practice environments and patient safety culture. The study found that COVID-19 had a positive impact on the structure and outcome components of nursing professional practice environments, but there was a negative trend in almost all dimensions of the process component. Weaknesses were identified in safety culture, with only the dimension of teamwork within units maintaining a positive culture. The study concludes that positive responses regarding patient safety are significantly associated with the quality of the nursing professional practice environment.