Skip Navigation U.S. Department of Health and Human Services www.hhs.gov/
Agency for Healthcare Research Quality http://www.ahrq.gov
AHRQ Home | Questions? | Contact Us | Site Map | What's New | Browse | Información en español | E-mail Updates
www.ahrq.gov/
Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture: 2009 Comparative Database Report

Table C-6. Trending: Item-level Average Percent Positive Response by Hospital Teaching Status and Ownership and Control

Survey Items by Composite Teaching Status Ownership and Control
Teaching Nonteaching Government Nongovernment
59 Hospitals Both Years 145 Hospitals Both Years 63 Hospitals Both Years 141 Hospitals Both Years
40,839 Most Recent Respondents 28,702 Most Recent Respondents 10,036 Most Recent Respondents 59,505 Most Recent Respondents
38,681 Previous Respondents 26,640 Previous Respondents 10,007 Previous Respondents 55,314 Previous Respondents
1. Teamwork Within Units A1—1. People support one another in this unit. Most Recent 83% 86% 84% 85%
Previous 78% 83% 84% 81%
Change 5% 3% 0% 4%
A3—2. When a lot of work needs to be done quickly, we work togetder as a team to get the work done. Most Recent 83% 87% 87% 86%
Previous 79% 86% 87% 82%
Change 4% 1% 0% 4%
A4—3. In this unit, people treat each other with respect. Most Recent 75% 78% 77% 78%
Previous 71% 77% 77% 74%
Change 4% 1% 0% 4%
A11—4. When one area in this unit gets really busy, others help out. Most Recent 66% 71% 69% 69%
Previous 63% 68% 68% 65%
Change 3% 3% 1% 4%
2. Supervisor/Manager Expectations & Actions Promoting Patient Safety B1—1. My supv/mgr says a good word when he/she sees a job done according to established patient safety procedures. Most Recent 71% 72% 72% 72%
Previous 67% 70% 70% 69%
Change 4% 2% 2% 3%
B2—2. My supv/mgr seriously considers staff suggestions for improving patient safety. Most Recent 75% 77% 77% 76%
Previous 71% 75% 76% 73%
Change 4% 2% 1% 3%
B3R—3. Whenever pressure builds up, my supv/mgr wants us to work faster, even if it means taking shortcuts. Most Recent 71% 76% 78% 73%
Previous 70% 75% 76% 72%
Change 1% 1% 2% 1%
B4R—4. My supv/mgr overlooks patient safety problems that happen over and over. Most Recent 75% 78% 79% 76%
Previous 71% 76% 77% 73%
Change 4% 2% 2% 3%
3. Organizational Learning-Continuous Improvement A6—1. We are actively doing things to improve patient safety. Most Recent 80% 83% 84% 82%
Previous 77% 81% 83% 78%
Change 3% 2% 1% 4%
A9—2. Mistakes have led to positive changes here. Most Recent 61% 65% 65% 63%
Previous 58% 62% 63% 60%
Change 3% 3% 2% 3%
A13—3. After we make changes to improve patient safety, we evaluate their effectiveness. Most Recent 66% 70% 71% 68%
Previous 63% 67% 69% 64%
Change 3% 3% 2% 4%
4. Management Support for Patient Safety F1—1. Hospital mgmt provides a work climate that promotes patient safety. Most Recent 75% 82% 83% 78%
Previous 73% 81% 83% 76%
Change 2% 1% 0% 2%
F8—2. The actions of hospital mgmt show that patient safety is a top priority. Most Recent 69% 74% 75% 72%
Previous 66% 71% 74% 68%
Change 3% 3% 1% 4%
F9R—3. Hospital mgmt seems interested in patient safety only after an adverse event happens. Most Recent 55% 62% 63% 59%
Previous 53% 60% 61% 56%
Change 2% 2% 2% 3%
5. Overall Perceptions of Patient Safety A10R—1. It is just by chance that more serious mistakes don't happen around here. Most Recent 53% 63% 63% 59%
Previous 54% 61% 60% 58%
Change -1% 2% 3% 1%
A15—2. Patient safety is never sacrificed to get more work done. Most Recent 59% 68% 70% 63%
Previous 57% 65% 68% 60%
Change 2% 3% 2% 3%
A17R—3. We have patient safety problems in this unit. Most Recent 52% 66% 68% 59%
Previous 54% 63% 65% 59%
Change -2% 3% 3% 0%
A18—4. Our procedures and systems are good at preventing errors from happening. Most Recent 67% 73% 73% 70%
Previous 63% 69% 69% 66%
Change 4% 4% 4% 4%
6. Feedback & Communication About Error C1—1. We are given feedback about changes put into place based on event reports. Most Recent 54% 53% 51% 54%
Previous 52% 52% 51% 52%
Change 2% 1% 0% 2%
C3—2. We are informed about errors that happen in this unit. Most Recent 61% 66% 68% 63%
Previous 59% 65% 67% 62%
Change 2% 1% 1% 1%
C5—3. In this unit, we discuss ways to prevent errors from happening again. Most Recent 68% 71% 72% 70%
Previous 65% 70% 72% 67%
Change 3% 1% 0% 3%
7. Communication Openness C2—1. Staff will freely speak up if they see something that may negatively affect patient care. Most Recent 73% 76% 75% 75%
Previous 71% 75% 75% 73%
Change 2% 1% 0% 2%
C4—2. Staff feel free to question the decisions or actions of those with more authority. Most Recent 46% 48% 48% 47%
Previous 46% 46% 47% 46%
Change 0% 2% 1% 1%
C6R—3. Staff are afraid to ask questions when something does not seem right. Most Recent 59% 63% 65% 61%
Previous 58% 62% 63% 60%
Change 1% 1% 2% 1%
8. Frequency of Events Reported D1—1. When a mistake is made, but is caught and corrected before affecting the patient, how often is this reported? Most Recent 51% 54% 55% 53%
Previous 48% 53% 54% 50%
Change 3% 1% 1% 3%
D2—2. When a mistake is made, but has no potential to harm the patient, how often is this reported? Most Recent 54% 59% 60% 56%
Previous 51% 57% 58% 54%
Change 3% 2% 2% 2%
D3—3. When a mistake is made that could harm the patient, but does not, how often is this reported? Most Recent 70% 75% 75% 73%
Previous 68% 73% 75% 71%
Change 2% 2% 0% 2%
9. Teamwork Across Units F2R—1. Hospital units do not coordinate well with each other. Most Recent 38% 49% 50% 44%
Previous 39% 46% 49% 42%
Change -1% 3% 1% 2%
F4—2. There is good cooperation among hospital units that need to work together. Most Recent 51% 63% 64% 57%
Previous 50% 60% 63% 55%
Change 1% 3% 1% 2%
F6R—3. It is often unpleasant to work with staff from other hospital units. Most Recent 53% 61% 61% 57%
Previous 52% 58% 60% 55%
Change 1% 3% 1% 2%
F10—4. Hospital units work well together to provide the best care for patients. Most Recent 61% 71% 72% 66%
Previous 59% 69% 71% 63%
Change 2% 2% 1% 3%
10. Staffing A2—1. We have enough staff to handle the workload. Most Recent 47% 57% 59% 52%
Previous 48% 55% 58% 51%
Change -1% 2% 1% 1%
A5R—2. Staff in this unit work longer hours than is best for patient care. Most Recent 47% 54% 55% 51%
Previous 47% 52% 54% 49%
Change 0% 2% 1% 2%
A7R—3. We use more agency/temporary staff than is best for patient care. Most Recent 62% 66% 64% 65%
Previous 58% 64% 64% 61%
Change 4% 2% 0% 4%
A14R—4. We work in "crisis mode" trying to do too much, too quickly. Most Recent 43% 53% 57% 47%
Previous 43% 50% 52% 46%
Change 0% 3% 5% 1%
11. Handoffs & Transitions F3R—1. Things "fall between the cracks" when transferring patients from one unit to another. Most Recent 33% 46% 51% 38%
Previous 34% 44% 49% 38%
Change -1% 2% 2% 0%
F5R—2. Important patient care information is often lost during shift changes. Most Recent 45% 52% 54% 48%
Previous 45% 50% 53% 47%
Change 0% 2% 1% 1%
F7R—3. Problems often occur in the exchange of information across hospital units. Most Recent 35% 47% 49% 41%
Previous 36% 44% 46% 40%
Change -1% 3% 3% 1%
F11R—4. Shift changes are problematic for patients in this hospital. Most Recent 38% 49% 53% 43%
Previous 40% 47% 50% 42%
Change -2% 2% 3% 1%
12. Nonpunitive Response to Error A8R—1. Staff feel like their mistakes are held against them. Most Recent 46% 54% 54% 50%
Previous 44% 52% 53% 48%
Change 2% 2% 1% 2%
A12R—2. When an event is reported, it feels like the person is being written up, not the problem. Most Recent 42% 48% 47% 46%
Previous 41% 45% 45% 43%
Change 1% 3% 2% 3%
A16R—3. Staff worry that mistakes they make are kept in their personnel file. Most Recent 31% 39% 40% 35%
Previous 30% 36% 37% 33%
Change 1% 3% 3% 2%

Return to Appendix C

 
AHRQAdvancing Excellence in Health Care