Patient safety in teachers of a public dental college in Paraguay

Abstract

Introduction: Patient Safety is the "set of actions aimed at protecting the patient from unnecessary risks and harm during medical care." In dentistry, little is still known about the Patient Safety Culture, which is understood as the set of values, attitudes, competencies, and individual and collective behaviors that determine the commitment to the proper implementation of safety programs within an organization in order to prevent an adverse event, which is the involuntary harm caused during treatment. Objective: The objective of this research is to analyze patient safety in teachers at a public dental school in Paraguay. Materials and Methods: An observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was conducted with the objective of identifying the implementation of practices related to patient safety. Results: A total of 58 faculty members of both sexes participated, and the modified "Spanish Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture" was used, which consisted of 10 questions related to work factors and Patient Safety Culture. The results showed that 50.00% work more than 20 hours per week, and 89.00% have direct interaction with patients. More than half always record all data in the medical history, including pharmacological therapy, in addition to signing the informed consent. 79.00% did not report any adverse event, while 93.00% stated they would report it. Discussion: The faculty members exhibit a variable level of behaviors related to Patient Safety, indicating the need for ongoing training for them.