Perspectives on Patient and Family Engagement With Reduction in Harm: The Forgotten Voice

Relational and functional aspects of safety for patients and caregivers in intensive care: scoping review

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the relational and functional aspects of patient safety through the experiences reported by the patients themselves and/or their caregivers in intensive care units.

METHOD

Scoping review developed with searches, in September 2021 and updated in November 2022, in the following databases: Virtual Health Library, considering only the LILACS, BDENF, IBECS, ColecionaSUS databases; SCIELO, PsycINFO, EMBASE, COCHRANE, CINAHL, SCOPUS and Web of Science.

RESULTS

The final selection included 14 articles highlighting communication as an essential relational factor for care safety. The most predominant functional aspects were physical care environment, structured protocols, and the performance of professionals in the care process.

CONCLUSION

Communication processes were predominant in relational aspects and were decisive for functional aspects, with emphasis on the performance of professionals in the care process. Instruments developed for quality process analysis were used in most of the studies.

Medico-legal risk of infectious disease physicians in Canada: A retrospective review

Objective

There is little known about the medico-legal risk for infectious disease specialists in Canada. The objective of this study was to identify the causes of these medico-legal risks with the goal of improving patient safety and outcomes.

Methods

A 10-year retrospective analysis of Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) closed medico-legal cases from 2012 to 2021 was performed. Peer expert criticism was used to identify factors that contributed to the medico-legal cases at the provider, team, or system level, and were contrasted with the patient complaint.

Results

During the study period there were 571 infectious disease physician members of the CMPA. There were 96 patient medico-legal cases: 45 College complaints, 40 civil legal matters, and 11 hospital complaints. Ten cases were associated with severe patient harm or death. Patients were most likely to complain about perceived deficient assessments (54%), diagnostic errors (53%), inadequate monitoring or follow-up (20%), and unprofessional manner (20%). In contrast, peer experts were most critical of the areas of diagnostic assessment (20%), deficient assessment (10%), failure to perform test/intervention (8%), and failure to refer (6%).

Conclusion

While infectious disease physicians tend to have lower medico-legal risks compared to other health care providers, these risks still do exist. This descriptive study provides insights into the types of cases, presenting conditions, and patient allegations associated with their practice.

Family Caregivers' Experiences of Preventing Harm to Older People during Hospitalization: A Phenomenographic Study

Hospital admission is associated with a high risk of harm, particularly for older people, and family members play a critical role in providing care. The aim of this study was to explore family caregivers' experiences in preventing harm to older people during hospitalization. The phenomenographic approach was applied. Thirty family caregivers were asked to describe their experiences of preventing harm to older people. Semi-structured interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. Participants described preventing harm as "essential care", "an important step toward recovery", "a load off the mind", "outcomes of collaboration among caregivers and health professionals", and "improvement in the quality of life after discharge". The core theme was to achieve the goal of integrated care for older people. The results can help improve caregiving processes and prevent harm to older people during hospitalizations. They can assist in developing strategies for the delivery of safe care for older people.

The effects of a mobile application for patient participation to improve patient safety

Background

Patient participation in patient safety activities in care processes is a fundamental element of safer care. Patients play an important role in preventing patient safety incidents and improving health outcomes. Therefore, healthcare providers need to develop and provide educational materials and actionable tools for patient participation.

Objectives

This study aimed to develop a mobile application for health consumers' participation and evaluate the effect of the mobile application on improving health consumers' participation in patient safety.

Methods

A quasi‐experimental design was adopted. We developed a mobile application on the basis of a needs assessment, literature review, compilation of patient safety topics, and validity testing of the application. The target population included Korean adults aged between 30 and 65 years who had visited a medical institution more than once within the most recent 6 months. The intervention group received patient participation training by using the mobile application, Application for Patient Participation in Safety Enhancement, for 2 months. The primary outcome variables were patient safety knowledge, self‐efficacy of participation, willingness to participate and experience of patient participation in patient safety activities. End‐user satisfaction was assessed using a questionnaire. To assess participants' experiences with the intervention, qualitative data were collected through a focus group interview and open‐ended responses to an end‐user satisfaction survey.

Results

The intervention group (n = 60) had significantly higher overall average scores than the control group (n = 37) with regard to patient safety knowledge (p < .001), self‐efficacy of participation (p = .001), willingness to participate (p = .010) and experience of participation (p = .038) in the post‐survey. The total mean end‐user satisfaction score was 3.56 ± 0.60. The participants expressed the realization that patients could play an important role in improving patient safety.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that educating health consumers through a mobile application with useful information improves patient participation in patient safety activities. Educational materials and patient participation tools could motivate health consumers' health‐related behaviours.

Patient or Public Contribution

Patients were involved during the programme development and evaluation.

The Family and Safety of the Hospitalized Patient: An Integrative Literature Review

<b><i>Framework:</i></b> Considering that the current data on health care safety remain alarming, there is an overwhelming urge for the ongoing study of this topic and for recommendations and differentiated strategies which aim to promote health and which prove effective. Some recommendations have been taken into consideration, such as patient-centered care, and consequently the need for greater involvement of patient and family in this process. However, we have identified arguments for and against the involvement of family in the care process, and consequently a greater or lesser openness towards hospital visits. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> What are the implications of the presence of family for the safety of hospitalized patients? What does the science say about these implications? <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We conducted an integrative literature review by referring to the Web of Science, CINAHL, Medline, and Scopus databases, according to the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute for scoping review. <b><i>Results:</i></b> We found 115 articles. After selection, 13 articles were included in this review. There were 6 qualitative studies, 5 quantitative studies, and 2 literature reviews. Data were grouped according to: the perspective of patients and their families, the health professionals’ perspective, and statistical evidence. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Families take efforts to protect the safety of hospitalized patients but feel unprepared; a lack of follow-up was reported. Some health professionals claim that the presence of the family can increase the risks for patient safety and the fear of an increased workload. The evidence of the presence of the family and its link to the safety of the hospitalized patient demonstrated that this relationship is not yet well understood. There were limited findings about this in the current literature. <b><i>Relevance to Clinical Practice:</i></b> Structured interventions about family integration in ensuring the safety of hospitalized patients may have the potential to contribute to the safety of health care.

Scoping review of patients' attitudes about their role and behaviours to ensure safe care at the direct care level

BACKGROUND

To improve harm prevention, patient engagement in safety at the direct care level is advocated. For patient safety to most effectively include patients, it is critical to reflect on existing evidence, to better position future research with implications for education and practice.

METHODS

As part of a multi-phase study, which included a qualitative descriptive study (Duhn & Medves, 2018), a scoping review about patient engagement in safety was conducted. The objective was to review papers about patients' attitudes and behaviours concerning their involvement in ensuring their safe care. The databases searched included MEDLINE, CINAHL and EMBASE (year ending 2019).

RESULTS

This review included 35 papers about "Patient Attitudes" and 125 papers about "Patient Behaviours"-indicative of growing global interest in this field. Several patterns emerged from the review, including that most investigators have focused on a particular dimension of harm prevention, such as asking about provider handwashing, and there is less known about patients' opinions about their role in safety generally and how to actualize it in a way that is right for them. While patients may indicate favourable attitudes toward safety involvement generally, intention to act or actual behaviours may be quite different.

CONCLUSION

This review, given its multi-focus across the continuum of care, is the first of its kind based on existing literature. It provides an important international "mapping" of the initiatives that are underway to engage patients in different elements of safety and their viewpoints, and identifies the gaps that remain.

Patient experience in co-production of care: perceptions about patient safety protocols

Objective:

to analyze the experience of the patient during hospitalization, focusing on the co-production of care related to patient safety protocols.

Method:

qualitative study, whose data were collected through the triangulation of multiple sources: document analysis, observation of 10 professionals in the provision of care and 24 interviews with patient-families from 12 clinical and surgical inpatient units of a hospital. Thematic analysis was carried out, based on the concept of co-production.

Results:

safety protocols according to the experience of the patient portrayed the role of patient-families as co-producers of safe care. It was found an alignment between perceptions of the patients, institutional definitions and basic national and international patient safety protocols. However, these protocols are not always followed by professionals.

Conclusion:

co-production was perceived in the protocols for safe surgery and prevention of injuries resulting from falls. In patient identification, hand hygiene and medication process, it was found that co-production depends on the proactive behavior of patient-families, as it is not encouraged by professionals. The research contributes with subsidies to leverage the participation of the patient as an agent of their safety, highlighting the co-production of health care as a valuable resource for advancing patient safety.

Including and Training Family Caregivers of Older Adults in Hospital Care: Facilitators and Barriers

BACKGROUND

Despite the role caregivers play in the delivery of care, the interactions and training methods used with caregivers during an inpatient stay are not clear.

PURPOSE

The purpose was to examine interactions and training methods used with caregivers during hospital care.

METHODS

A mixed-methods case study was conducted. Observations were summarized and interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

The frequency of caregiver engagement varied at different points in the care process but was highest among observations during the stay care point. Providers were most commonly using written and verbal instructions to train caregivers. Three themes emerged from the interviews and were described to be both facilitators and barriers to caregiver involvement: experience, time, and relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

High-quality person and family-centered care depends upon coordinated efforts among health care systems, providers, patients, and caregivers. Future caregiver initiatives should aim to decrease disengagement, increase assessment, and broaden the use of training methods.

Satisfaction attributes related to safety and quality perceived in the experience of hospitalized patients

OBJECTIVE

To unveil patient satisfaction attributes related to safety and quality of care.

METHODS

Qualitative study carried out in a public university hospital in the south region of Brazil. Data were collected in November 2018 through 24 interviews with patients/families from 12 clinical and surgical hospitalization units. Thematic analysis was carried out.

RESULTS

The satisfaction attributes were categorized in terms of structure, process, and care outcome, and they were related to: access to the service, amount of personnel, environment, interaction with the health team, staff's technical competence, perception of safety with the presence of a relative, assistance patterns present in the care, and change in the health status of the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

It was verified that the structural aspects were relevant in the patient's experience, besides the relationship established with the health team in the care process, and the technical assistance standards perceived in the staff's work.