* A culture of safety in healthcare is the extent to which an organization's culture supports and promotes patient safety1. It refers to the values, beliefs, and norms that are shared by healthcare practitioners and other staff throughout the organization that influence their actions and behaviors2.
* A culture of safety requires a collaborative and data-driven approach that involves multiple stakeholders, such as clinicians, managers, patients, and quality professionals3. It also requires a commitment to continuous improvement, learning from errors, and addressing system-level factors that contribute to patient harm.
* According to the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ), one of the core competencies for healthcare quality professionals is to lead and facilitate change initiatives that align with the organization's strategic goals and priorities. NAHQ also states that healthcare quality professionals should advocate for a culture of safety and quality across the organization.
* Therefore, the option that best reflects the first step in establishing a culture of safety is C. leadership.
Leadership is essential for creating a vision, setting expectations, providing resources, and empowering staff to participate in safety improvement efforts. Leadership also influences the organizational climate, which affects the attitudes and behaviors of staff towards patient safety.
* The other options are less likely to be the first step in establishing a culture of safety, as they are either too specific, too vague, or too dependent on other factors. For example, recruitment strategies, plan, and educational programs are important components of a culture of safety, but they are not sufficient or effective without strong and supportive leadership . References:
* 1: Safety Culture in Healthcare: A 7-Step Framework
* 2: What Is Patient Safety Culture?
* 3: 9 Effective Performance Management Strategies for Healthcare
* : A Guide to Performance Improvement in Healthcare
* : Healthcare Quality Solutions: Ready Your Workforce for Quality
* : Code of Ethics
* : Safety Culture in Healthcare Settings
* : Understanding the Evolving Landscape of Healthcare Quality