Influence of Gender, Profession, and Managerial Function on Clinicians’ Perceptions of Patient Safety Culture: A Cross-National Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVES: In recent years, several instruments for measuring patient safety culture (PSC) have been developed and implemented. Correct interpretation of survey findings is crucial for understanding PSC locally, for comparisons across settings or time, as well as for planning effective interventions. We aimed to evaluate the influence of gender, profession, and managerial function on perceptions of PSC and on the interplay between various dimensions and perceptions of PSC. METHODS: We used German and Swiss survey data of frontline physicians and nurses (n = 1786). Data analysis was performed for the two samples separately using multivariate analysis of variance, comparisons of adjusted means, and series of multiple regressions. RESULTS: Participants’ profession and managerial function had significant direct effect on perceptions of PSC. Although there was no significant direct effect of gender for most of the PSC dimensions, it had an indirect effect on PSC dimensions through statistically significant direct effects on profession and managerial function. We identified similarities and differences across participant groups concerning the impact of various PSC dimensions on Overall Perception of Patient Safety. Staffing and Organizational Learning had positive influence in most groups without managerial function, whereas Teamwork Within Unit, Feedback & Communication About Error, and Communication Openness had no significant effect. For female participants without managerial functions, Management Support for Patient Safety had a significant positive effect. CONCLUSIONS: Participant characteristics have significant effects on perceptions of PSC and thus should be accounted for in reporting, interpreting, and comparing results from different samples.