Unveiling the roadblocks: Explaining the Threatening Factors to Patient Safety in Hospitals Receiving COVID-19 Patients: A Qualitative Study
نویسندگان
1 Department of Management Sciences and Health Economics, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
2 School of Health, Student research committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
3 Department of Management Sciences and Health Economics, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
4 Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran;
5 Department of Public Health, school of Health, Torbat Jam Faculty of Medical Sciences, Torbat Jam, Iran
6 Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
7 Department of public Health, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
doi
10.30483/rjm.2026.254669.1439چکیده
Background: With the COVID-19 outbreak, patient safety in hospitals has become a serious challenge. Identifying the factors threatening patient safety in this critical situation is crucial for improving the quality of healthcare services and reducing adverse outcomes.Objectives: To determine the factors threatening patient safety in hospitals that admit COVID-19 patientsMethods: This qualitative study was conducted in hospitals in Iran that were receiving COVID-19 patients in 2023. 26 participants, including deputies, patient safety experts, nurses, head nurses, and nursing managers, were selected by purposive sampling until data saturation. The data were collected using a semi-structured, in-depth, face-to-face interview. A conventional content analysis approach was used for data analysis, and MAXQDA 2020 was used for data management.Results: The findings from the conventional content analysis showed that the factors threatening the safety of COVID-19 patients include four categories (factors related to the patient and disease, task-related factors, management factors, and organizational-infrastructural factors), 11 subcategories (factors related to the patient, factors related to the disease, communication factors with the patient, non-communication factors with the patient, medications and medical equipment, human resources, physical resources, planning and decision-making, supervision, maintaining human resources, processes and protocols), and 33 sub-subcategories.Discussion: The findings indicate the complexity of patient safety challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for comprehensive approaches to improve safety conditions in healthcare systems.Conclusion: These factors directly impact the quality of healthcare services and patient safety. Therefore, reforming policies and improving infrastructure are essential to promoting patient safety in critical care settings.
