JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Patient safety culture (PSC) is a foundational component of quality healthcare. It is characterized by healthcare workers' individual attitudes, team dynamics, and organizational practices that influence clinical outcomes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals worldwide faced sudden changes and crises. In such a rapidly evolving environment, organizational models were revised, established procedures were challenged, and professional roles were redefined; therefore, many aspects of safety culture may have been reshaped and redefined by the pandemic. Despite a growing body of literature examining PSC during the COVID-19 era, no comprehensive synthesis has yet mapped how PSC was conceptualized, measured, operationalized, and sustained across hospital settings during the pandemic. This gap highlights the need for an integrated synthesis that captures the multiple dimensions of PSC as they were experienced and managed during the pandemic.

Objective:

This scoping review aims to map the literature on PSC in hospital settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. The specific objectives are as follows: (1) to examine the theoretical frameworks and related constructs used to define and operationalize PSC during the pandemic; (2) to identify and categorize interventions implemented to strengthen or sustain PSC; (3) to describe monitoring activities, measurement instruments, and quality improvement approaches adopted in hospital settings; and (4) to synthesize the scope and characteristics of available evidence and identify knowledge gaps to inform future research and practice.

Methods:

This scoping review will follow the methodological framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley, as updated by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), and will be reported in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The research question was formulated using the Population, Concept, Context (PCC) framework. A comprehensive literature search will be conducted across PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO, covering articles published from January 2020 onward. Eligible studies will include qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research examining PSC among healthcare professionals in hospital settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two independent reviewers will conduct a two-stage screening process, initially evaluating titles and abstracts for potential relevance, followed by a full-text assessment to determine final eligibility.

Results:

This study was funded in April 2025. Data collection is expected to begin by the beginning of 2026.

Conclusions:

This scoping review will provide a structured overview of how PSC was maintained, adapted, or redefined in hospital settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical Trial: Open Science Framework (OSF): Registration DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/28VYD