Association between perceived patient safety culture, unfinished nursing care, and teamwork during the clinical placement of nursing students: a cross-sectional study

Introduction: Patient safety culture is a fundamental aspect of healthcare delivery, profoundly impacted by factors such as teamwork or organizational traits. Research on unfinished nursing care has underscored its importance in relation to patient safety. Objective: To explore the associations between perceived patient safety culture, unfinished nursing care, and the level of teamwork during the clinical placement of nursing students. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between September and December 2023 using a set of questionnaires comprising the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture for Nursing Students, the Unfinished Nursing Care Survey for Students, and the Nursing Teamwork Survey. The study involved 242 Slovak nursing students. Results: Significant associations were found between nursing students' perceptions of patient safety culture, the level of teamwork, and particular reasons for unfinished nursing care. Four dimensions of patient safety culture predicted the level of teamwork (p < 0.05) and explained 49.1% of the variability in the teamwork perceived during clinical placement. Conclusion: Understanding nursing students' perceptions of patient safety culture and its influencing factors is essential for enhancing the safe provision of nursing care. Future research should continue to explore the dynamic interaction between investigated variables to inform educational and organizational interventions aimed at improving patient care outcomes.