The Effects of Subdomains of Communication with Healthcare Professionals on Nurses' Perception of Patient Safety Culture

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the effects of subdomains of healthcare professional communication on perception of patient safety culture among nurses. A convenience sample of 167 nurses with more than six months of clinical experience was recruited from five general hospitals or higher-level institutions located in D and C cities. Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires from July 1 to July 11, 2025, and analyzed using IBM SPSS/WIN Statistics 22.0. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the significant predictors of perception of patient safety culture were interprofessional mutual understanding in nurse–physician communication(β=.42, p<.001), openness in nurse–nurse communication(β=.21, p=.018), timeliness in overall communication(β=.19, p=.011), experience of patient safety education(β=.18, p=.001), accuracy in nurse–physician communication(β=.18, p=.006), accuracy in nurse–nurse communication(β=.15, p=.021), and age 50 years(β=.13, p=.018). The model explained 55.9% of the variance in perception of patient safety culture. These findings indicate that strengthening communication competencies among healthcare professionals is essential to enhance perception of patient safety culture. In particular, they suggest the need for organizational-level educational programs and improvements in communication systems that can enhance nurse–nurse openness, accuracy(both nurse–physician and nurse–nurse), and overall timeliness, based on mutual understanding between professions.