Report explores connection between quality of worklife and patient safety in Canadian health organizations

Accreditation Canada's 2010 national report on health care in Canada explores the connection between quality of worklife and patient safety in health organizations. The report also examines the relationship between health care staff perceptions of work climate and patient safety culture in their own organizations, and how those perceptions are useful in identifying patient safety issues.

Highlights in the 2010 Canadian Health Accreditation Report: Through the Lens of Qmentum - Exploring the Connection between Patient Safety and Quality of Worklife include:

• Quality of worklife has an overall effect on staff health and well-being, patient safety, organizational performance, and quality of care.
• Health care providers need additional support from supervisors, and sufficient time to deliver high quality patient care.
• While data indicates errors are being regularly reported, there is a shared perception they are not.

"The issue of worklife quality is one that affects everyone involved in health care, from executives and service providers to the patients who receive care," says Wendy Nicklin, President and CEO of Accreditation Canada. "We all have experience with long workdays, heavy workloads, and stress, and it's important to know how these and other factors affect patient safety. This year's Canadian Health Accreditation Report explores those vital connections and draws some very interesting conclusions."

The report is available on Accreditation Canada's website:

www.accreditation.ca/news-and-publications/publications/canadian-health-accreditation-report