Avaliação da cultura de segurança do paciente em Centro Cirúrgico

Objective: To evaluate safety culture at the Surgery Center of a university hospital in southern Brazil under the point of view of its professionals. Method: An exploratory, descriptive, transverse study of qualitative approach developed between July and October 2011 by means of the application of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) to 68 healthcare professionals of the surgical team. Results: The dimensions Teamwork Climate, Safety Climate, Job Satisfaction, Stress Recognition, Perceptions of Management, and Working Conditions presented averages below 75 points, which reveals that workers do not perceive a safe environment to perform their work. Conclusions: The weaknesses identified in all dimensions analyzed lead the professionals to realize the absence of safety culture in carrying out their daily activities. It is necessary to implement protocols to establish a non-punitive culture by offering in-work education for the team and getting support from the administration so that patient safety is seen as a priority by the institution.