Patient safety improvement in the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) speciality: A scoping review of improvement initiatives and involvement of frontline staff (SYSTEMATIC REVIEW)

Patient safety improvement in the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) speciality: A scoping review of improvement initiatives and involvement of frontline staff (SYSTEMATIC REVIEW)

Patient safety, Quality improvement, Otolaryngology

Background The success of patient safety improvement initiatives depends on frontline staff engaging with improvement efforts. However, in
the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) speciality, there is less patient safety research compared to other healthcare specialities, and limited evidence
on staff perspectives regarding safety improvement and the factors influencing their engagement.
Objectives To map the literature on safety improvement efforts in the ENT speciality in UK settings, and to explore staff involvement and
engagement with initiatives to improve patient safety in ENT.
Methods A literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and SCOPUS databases to retrieve studies reporting the
implementation of patient safety initiatives in ENT departments in the UK, and studies exploring frontline staff perspectives on improving safety
in ENT. The selected studies were peer-reviewed, written in English and published between 2013 and 2023. Data were extracted and synthesized
in accordance with the predefined research questions.
Results A total of 1661 studies were screened and 10 met the selection criteria. Findings demonstrated evidence of staff initiating, designing,
and implementing safety improvement initiatives. Frontline staff engagement and senior staff/managerial involvement were identified as key
contributors to successful implementation. Only one study addressed frontline staff priorities for safety improvement, in the context of improving
tracheostomy, with the author stating that results indicated that frontline staff are unwilling to implement low priority interventions.
Conclusion Further research is needed to explore the factors influencing staff perspectives on how patient safety can be improved in ENT and
the factors influencing their engagement. This could lead to recommendations for the development of successful and sustainable initiatives.
The authors of this review recommend establishing the following as standard practice: (i) appointing staff as quality/safety champions, and (ii)
involving frontline staff and senior managers in co-developing improvement strategies

Osedebamen Onolememen, Natalie Armstrong , CarolynTarrant

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1093/ijcoms/lyaf001

Oxford University Press

31 January 2025

Sri Wahyuni

PDF

English

Text