Effect of Safety Management Program on Perception of Safety Practice among Charge Nurses in Tertiary Hospitals

Abstract: This quasi-experimental research with pre-test and post-test two-group design aimed to compare safety management perception and safety performance perception of charge nurses between control and experimental groups. The sample consisted of 140 charge nurses in total (70 in control group and 70 in experimental group). The research was conducted over 18 months. There were two research instruments: a safety management program and a questionnaire on perception of safety practice. The quality of the instruments was validated with content validity index of 0.86, reliability of 0.89, and construct validity was verified using factor analysis with component loading weights ranging from 0.780.85, which met the established criteria. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (EFA and CFA). The research findings revealed that in the control group, safety management perception was at a moderate level (M = 3.33, SD = 0.62) and charge nurses' safety performance perception was at a low level (M = 2.45, SD = 0.62). In the experimental group, safety management perception was at a high level (M = 4.38, SD = 0.41) and charge nurses' safety performance perception was at a high level (M = 4.38, SD = 0.68). The safety management perception and safety performance perception of charge nurses in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < .05).