MUSC front line clinical staff (e.g. nurses, residents, therapists and pharmacists,) have been asked to complete the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research's Culture of Safety Survey by March 25th. This survey was developed in 2004 as a method to assess these key components of a safety culture:

• Communication openness
• Feedback and communication about error
• Frequency of events reported
• Handoffs and transitions
• Management support for patient safety
• Nonpunitive response to error
• Organizational learning-continuous improvement
• Overall perceptions of patient safety
• Staffing
• Supervisor/manager expectations and actions promoting safety
• Teamwork across units
• Teamwork within units

AHRQ offers a comparative database; 1,128 hospitals participated last year. Areas of strength for most hospitals were teamwork within units; supervisor/manager promotion and support of patient safety; and organizational learning. Areas of opportunity were nonpunitive response to error; handoffs and transitions; and staffing. Please help us assess our local opportunities by participating in the survey.

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