A Descriptive Evaluative Study of the Patient Safety Manual and Its Role in Improving Nursing Competency and Patient Safety

Abstract

The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the Patient Safety Manual (PSM) in enhancing nursing competency and improving hospital quality indicators across selected hospitals in Haryana. The study utilised a descriptive evaluative design utilising observational audits of nursing practices in conjunction with hospital records analysis to determine compliance with procedures and measurable clinical outcomes. ICU nurses had the highest competence ratings for medical administration, infection control, patient identification and adverse event reporting with some meaningful improvements in non-ICU general wards and surgical units too. The success of the introduction of PSM showed a large reduction in hospital quality indicators regarding hospital-acquired infections, medication prescription errors and patient falls biggest improvement was seen in infection control. Based on the similarities in domain, visual studies were conducted through grouped bar charts and line graphs & pie charts for justifying these patterns regarding PSM influence on respective safety domains. In conclusion, the results prove that structured manuals significantly enhance nursing performance, standardise clinical practice and develop a culture of patient safety in hospital settings.