Egyptian Neonatal Safety Training Network: a dream to improve patient safety culture in Egyptian neonatal intensive care units.

Background: Patient safety is fundamental to upholding the quality of health care. Health-care workers in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) face daily challenges to sustain safe care for their patients and to counteract medical errors.

Aims: The objectives were to develop the Egyptian Neonatal Safety Training Network (ENSTN) to promote safe health care practices in NICUs through training of Health-care workers on PtS and dissemination of a culture for patient safety.

Methods: The ENSTN project accomplishments were completed through 8 work packages. The first package activities were intended to establish standards of knowledge and skills for safe practices in the NICU, develop the course specifications for PtS and develop standards. The remaining packages included: a professional patient safety reporting system and database; cohesive shared education and training in patient safety leadership and research; development of protocols and guidelines to enhance and ensure sustainability of safe practice; dissemination of ENSTN messages; confirmation of quality measures and adequate performance; sustainability of patient safety practices in the NICU; and structuring the management plan and facilitating project activities.

Results: Project outputs included: patient safety standards for NICUs in Arabic and English; 3 patient safety courses for physicians, nurses and other health-care workers the ENSTN electronic reporting system for medical errors and guidelines; and a parent's booklet.

Conclusions: Continuous organized training for health-care workers on patient safety and implementation of ENSTN standards to reduce medical errors in the NICU are needed. We implemented the first confidential patient safety reporting system for NICU.