Patient Safety Culture and Factors that Impact That Culture in Tehran Hospitals in 2013

Background: Sufficient evidence is lacking about patient safety culture in Iran. It is only by focusing on the culture of safety within healthcare and treatment institutes that improvements may be made in patient care services. Objectives: The present study aimed to examine patient safety culture and factors that affect that culture in two hospitals in Tehran city. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two government teaching hospitals (135- and 650-bed hospitals) in Tehran city in February of 2013 using a proportional stratified sampling method. The participants completed questionnaires with questions concerning their demographics and patient safety culture. Results: Overall, the study participants rated patient safety culture within their healthcare institutions at 64.7%. The highest and lowest patient safety culture subscales were 73.8% and 50.1% for "teamwork within units" and "staffing," respectively. According to the findings, hospital size (P < 0.001) and hospital area (P < 0.001) had a significant relationship with patient safety culture. Conclusions: Given that "Staffing" was the lowest rated element in patient safety culture, improving this element could help to increase patient safety culture in hospitals in Tehran.