Caregiver’s Perception of Patient Safety – A Qualitative Study

A BSTRACT Background: In the past, patient safety incidents such as those listed above were linked primarily to individual factors, and consequently, the preliminary goal of the enhancement strategies was to change for individual practitioners. A qualitative study exploring caregivers’ safety perceptions was checked in a psychiatric unit. Aim: The study explored caregivers’ perceptions of patient safety practices in psychiatric units. Settings and Design: The study was conducted in the psychiatry inpatient department of a tertiary care hospital using an exploratory qualitative research design. Methodology: The study used a descriptive approach and was conducted between October 2022 and December 2022, at a tertiary care hospital in India. The perceptions of the caregivers ( n = 16) about safety in the psychiatric unit were assessed using in-depth interviews conducted with 16 caregivers for thematic analysis. Statistical Analysis: Qualitative data analysis was done using thematic analysis. Results: A total of 11 themes and 23 subthemes were identified in the in-depth interview. The themes were extracted with context to before and after admission in tertiary health-care center. The identified themes are “Exasperation due to prolonged hospitalization,” “Barriers of caregiving,” “Belief related to mental illness,” “Physical safety in tertiary health center,” “Emotional safety at psychiatry unit,” “Perceived requisites at psychiatric unit,” and “Feeling like home.”. Conclusion: Caregivers of an individual with severe mental illness have a wide range of concerns regarding patient safety. Future policies need to be developed on the identified concerns of caregivers to ensure the safety of mentally ill patients.