The client- and patient safety practices at home services – a survey for the public and private service producers

Authors

• Heli Vaartio-Rajalin Åbo Akademi, terveystieteiden laitos
• Auvo Rauhala , Pohjanmaan hyvinvointialue, Asiakas- ja potilasturvallisuuskeskus, Hietalahdenkatu 2-4, 65130 Vaasa; Åbo Akademi/terveystieteet https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8125-5598
• Jaana Kalliokoski Pohjanmaan hyvinvointialue, Asiakas- ja potilasturvallisuuskeskus, Hietalahdenkatu 2-4, 65130 Vaasa https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9569-0475
• Tuija Ikonen Turun yliopisto ja Pohjanmaan hyvinvointialue, Asiakas- ja potilasturvallisuuskeskus, Hietalahdenkatu 2-4, 65130 Vaasa

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23990/sa.122139

Keywords:

Home services, Home help services, Home nursing, Client/patient safety

Abstract

The aim of this research was to explore the client- and patient safety practices of home services (home help services, home nursing, hospital-at-home) with a Webropol-survey sent to the persons responsible for client- and patient safety. Data was analyzed with IBM program SPSS, mainly with Fisher´s test. 

Of respondents (n = 114) organizations nearly half (45%) produced home services as collaboration between the public and the private sector. The personnel consisted of practical nurses, and RNs. The client/patient safety plan existed in 89% of organizations, and the content of it partially met the requirements of Acts. In plans, the responsibilities for different parts of client/patient safety were delineated - often in favor of the public sector (p = 0,001). The co-partnership of clients, their near-ones and personnel in safety management was enabled mainly with individual means.

In this data the client- and patient safety structures in home care contexts fit to the requirements of Acts, at least in the public sector. However, the integration of social- and health care services anticipate unified client/patient safety processes: how to include all dimensions of safety and co-partnership of different instances into the safety management.