A meta-analysis of factors influencing nurses' perceptions of patient care safety culture.

BACKGROUND: Ensuring patient safety is the paramount objective of nursing care. Investigating the factors that influence nurses' perceptions of patient safety culture is vital to promoting and enhancing patient safety. METHODS: A computer search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and WanFang Data databases from their inception to August 2024, including cross-sectional studies, cohort studies, and case-control studies. The quality of the literature was evaluated using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and Newcastle-Ottawa Scales, and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated to assess the factors that influence nurses' perception of patient safety culture. RESULTS: Eight studies were finally included, involving a total of 5574 participants. The 8 studies identified 38 potential influencing factors, and after evaluation, 7 influencing factors were included in the meta-analysis, but only 2 had statistical significance, namely, a nonpunitive culture of errors and organizational learning and continuous improvement. CONCLUSION: Incorrect nonpunitive cultures and organizational learning in healthcare settings affect nurses' perceptions of patient safety culture. Establishing a nonpunitive culture for reporting adverse events, incorporating patient safety into nurse training programs, and implementing patient safety culture in daily work practices are effective measures to enhance nurses' perception of patient safety culture.