Patient safety culture as a space of social struggle: understanding infection prevention practice and patient safety culture within hospital isolation settings - a qualitative study.

Background: In recent times, infection prevention and patient safety have become a global health policy priority with thought being given to understanding organisational culture within healthcare, and of its significance in initiating sustained quality improvement within infection prevention and patient safety. This paper seeks to explore the ways in which engagement of healthcare workers with infection prevention principles and practices, shape and inform patient safety culture within the context of hospital isolation settings; and vice-versa.

Research Methods: In this paper, we utilise focus group interviews at two hospital sites within one health board in order to engage healthcare staff in elaborating on their understandings of infection prevention practices and patient safety culture within isolation settings in their organisation.

Infection prevention control and organisational patient safety culture within the context of isolation: study protocol.

Background: Healthcare associated infection (HCAI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In recent years, there have been high profile successes in infection prevention control (IPC), such as the dramatic reductions in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections (which is viewed as one proxy indicator of overall harm) and Clostridium difficile in the UK. Nevertheless, HCAI remains a costly burden to health services, a source of concern to patients and the public and at present, is receiving priority from policy makers as it contributes to the global threat of antimicrobial resistance.