After completing the SOPS survey, there are a few underlying themes on topics that scored lower than desirable. All these items directly or indirectly can affect patient safety and outcomes. Firstly, there is a problem with disrespectful behavior from physicians towards nurses. Nurses must follow certain safety protocol and ask or inform physicians of abnormal lab or diagnostic values prior to surgery. This is sometimes met with resistance in the form of rhetorical disrespect in front of patients, their family members, and other staff. If physicians were made aware of the safety protocols that nurses have to follow, it would be helpful for them to understand that we are obligated to tell them. In addition to this is the patient preparation time being rushed while physicians and administration being unaware of what the preparation entails and the rationale behind why we do the tasks we do prior to surgery. Some simple education for administrators and physicians could help alleviate this unawareness. A common theme among all of these topics is when staff speak up regarding patient safety, they are met with resistance. The resistance is not met without direct manager because she has done direct patient care in the unit that she currently manages. It is mostly those who do not understand the workflow of the unit and safety protocols. A simple conversation to educate could alleviate a lot of the challenges.

References

SOPS Surveys. Content last reviewed January 2025. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.
https://www.ahrq.gov/sops/surveys/index.html