Putting the patient in patient safety Research Critique

The study was based on the fact that consumer perception on safety matters is an essential aspect in the nursing profession as they attempt to ensure comprehensive healthcare provision to patients. An understanding of patient perceptions of safety is needed because healthcare providers have always urged family and caregivers to ensure patient safety. Information on consumer safety is vital to healthcare providers and can be used to predict consumer or patient compliance with treatment protocols. Therefore, it can help healthcare providers in constructing practical strategies that will enable them to provide best and efficient means of treating patients. Sampling The study involved 39 subjects who had a recent overnight stay (Rathert et al. The mean age of the participants was 44 leading to a conclusion that the perception of the elderly and the younger people were not taken into consideration.

There is also a possibility of response bias as a result of the cash that was given to participants for taking part in the study. Interventions The interventions used in the study such as instructing illegible participants on how they would attend their sessions were very efficient and ensured that they would not get out of track. However, the provision of incentives could lead to biases. Grouping of patients into four different groups was another appropriate strategy that made it clear that different conditions under a normal healthcare setting were catered for. Another essential step in the analysis of the results is the coming together of the investigators to have a discussion on information and data that represented the codes. The analysis was aligned with grounded theory strategies (Rathert et al.

The discussion held between the investigators whenever there was a conflict in analysis and interpretation of data was also effective because they settled disagreements by reaching a consensus. The researchers provided several statements from the study that showed that their purpose of the study was achieved. There are cases where patients had similar responses. The literature review revealed that there is a difference in perception of safety from clinicians and consumers. The researchers cited four studies on patients’ perception towards safety with similar results to the current one. However, the ones cited did not ask direct safety questions to patients as compared to the present one thereby making it different. Regardless of the differences in methodologies used in the studies, most of them were qualitative thus posing a challenge to future researchers to consider quantitative research on the issue so that the findings can be compared and effectively classified as evidence-based.

The study fits in with previous studies because they point out that patients have a different perception from nurses on the aspect of safety in healthcare settings. The findings suggest that patients use quality of service as a cue when developing perceptions of safety. Family members and patients were vigilant with safety issues as shown in the study, and were able to share problematic situations with little prompting. The ones who reported positive experiences also cited some issues with their caregivers. Despite the fact that not all concerns and problems necessarily lead to the safety of the patient, the perception of patients should be good indicators of intense system problems that deserve attention (Chater, 2014). Healthcare organizations should recognize that patient safety should not be about providers’ perception but should also consider patient perception since they are the service receivers, and their perception could impact their emotional and psychological response towards treatment.