Psychometric properties of the full and short version Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety Culture (NHSOPSC) instrument: a cross-sectional study assessing patient safety culture in Norwegian homecare services.

objectivesMeasure patient safety culture in homecare services; test the psychometric properties of the Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety Culture (NHSOPSC) instrument; and propose a short-version Homecare Services Survey on Patient Safety Culture instrument for use in homecare services.

designCross-sectional survey with psychometric testing.

settingTwenty-seven publicly funded homecare units in eight municipalities (six counties) in Norway.

participantsFive-hundred and forty health personnel working in homecare services.

interventionsNot applicable. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary: Patient safety culture assessed using the NHSOPSC instrument. Secondary: Overall perception of service users' safety, service safety and overall care.

methodsPsychometric testing of the NHSOPSC instrument using factor analysis and optimal test assembly with generalised partial credit model to develop a short-version instrument proposal.

resultsMost healthcare personnel rated patient safety culture in homecare services positively. A 19-item short-version instrument for assessing patient safety culture had high internal consistency, and was considered to have sufficient concurrent and convergent validity. It explained a greater proportion of variance (59%) than the full version (50%). Short-version factors included safety improvement actions, teamwork, information flow and management support.

conclusionThis study provides a first proposal for a short-version Homecare Services Survey on Patient Safety Culture instrument to assess patient safety culture within homecare services. It needs further improvement, but provides a starting point for developing an improved valid and reliable short-version instrument as part of assessment of patient safety and quality improvement processes.