Nurses' attitudes towards factors determining the safety of patients treated in pediatric departments

Introduction Patient safety in healthcare is strongly influenced by safety culture, shaped by organizational beliefs, values, and effective management. Material and methods The study involved 434 nurses from the largest pediatric hospital in southern Poland, one of ten single-profile pediatric hospitals in the country. Data were collected using the Polish version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ-SF) and a sociodemographic survey. Results The highest percentage of positive responses (score ≥75) was observed in job satisfaction (56.91%) and stress recognition (53.23%). The lowest results were found in perceptions of management personnel (31.80%) and safety climate (36.41%). Stress levels negatively correlated with the number of nurses per department and shift. Lower assessments of management were associated with higher patient loads and fewer staff. Better working conditions were positively correlated with higher staffing levels. Conclusions Nurses in pediatric departments reported high job satisfaction and awareness of stress but low ratings of management and safety climate. Higher nurse staffing levels were associated with lower reported stress, indicating a relationship between staffing levels, work environment, and perceptions of patient safety.