Healthcare professionals' perceptions of patient safety for the woman in childbirth in Sweden - An interview study.

Annika Skoogh,Carina Bååth,Marie Louise Hall-Lord,Ann-Kristin Sandin Bojö

doi:10.1002/nop2.435

Abstract

AimTo describe healthcare professionals' perceptions of patient safety with a focus on the woman in connection to childbirth.DesignA descriptive and qualitative design with a phenomenographic approach.MethodsIndividual qualitative face‐to‐face interviews with 19 healthcare professionals (midwives, nursing assistants and physicians) were conducted in three labour wards in Sweden. The data were analysed according to Dahlgren and Fallsberg's seven steps.ResultsThe informants' perceptions of patient safety for the women were identified in four qualitative different descriptive categories: Safeguarding the woman, Safeguarding the birth process, Respecting the individual and the team and Managing workforce and learning. Supportive care and listening to the woman were important for patient safety. It was crucial to follow labour stages and to avoid unnecessary interventions. An open and tolerant atmosphere between the healthcare professionals improved decision‐making, and a reasonable workload was essential for ensuring safe care.

Highlights

The healthcare organizations are complex, and the quality of care and patient safety depends on the healthcare professionals working together in interprofessional teams (Reeves, Lewin, Espin, & Zwarenstein, 2010)
Patient safety is included in the recommendations for a positive childbirth experience (WHO, 2018)
The present study contributes to the further understanding of patient safety in intrapartum care with a focus on the woman from the perspective of front-line healthcare professionals

Summary

| INTRODUCTION

The healthcare organizations are complex, and the quality of care and patient safety depends on the healthcare professionals working together in interprofessional teams (Reeves, Lewin, Espin, & Zwarenstein, 2010). Patient safety is included in the recommendations for a positive childbirth experience (WHO, 2018). (Carayon et al, 2006) It may be a challenge for healthcare professionals to have knowledge and understand patient safety in their clinical practice. The present study contributes to the further understanding of patient safety in intrapartum care with a focus on the woman from the perspective of front-line healthcare professionals. This could be experienced and understood by a collective group of people, recognized from a “second order perspective,” which explores how people experience or perceive a phenomenon. The phenomenon explored in this study is patient safety with a focus on the woman in connection to childbirth

| BACKGROUND

| Design

| DISCUSSION