ENHANCING PATIENT SAFETY AMONG NURSING STUDENTS: A PROJECT FOR SAFE PROVISION OF NURSING CARE AND EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION

Introduction: The increasing pressure on healthcare resources, inefficient communication, and weak teamwork contribute to the need for prioritizing patient care, often leaving certain nursing tasks unfinished. This situation can increase the risk to patient safety. Nursing students, who are integral to nursing teams during their clinical training, must be adequately prepared to address the risks involved in providing nursing care.

Goals and Methods: This project aims to evaluate nursing students' perceptions of patient safety culture and the factors influencing it. The goal is to develop e-learning modules focused on the safe provision of nursing care, with implications for both education and clinical practice. A sequential explanatory mixed-method approach will be employed. The quantitative phase will involve nursing students, while the qualitative phase will include three groups purposefully selected: undergraduate students, postgraduate students, and nurse educators. Qualitative study will employ the method of semistructured interviews that will be analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The study was supported by the Cultural and Educational Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic [No. 040UK-4/2023 Safe Provision of Nursing Care]. The project was approved by the ethics committee.

Results: The project will bridge research and education by developing e-learning modules focused on patient safety and the safe provision of nursing care. These modules will be applicable in undergraduate, postgraduate, and specialization training for nurses and can also serve the broader professional community.

Conclusions: The inclusion of qualitative research, particularly focusing on the experiences of both students and educators, will provide deeper insights into the cultural and systemic factors that impact patient safety. This will inform the development of tailored educational interventions, thereby enhancing the ability of nursing students to contribute to safer patient care practices.