VALIDATION OF SAFETY CLIMATE FACTORS: A FIRST LOOK AMONG NURSES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Purpose – The primary aim of this paper is to validate safety climate factors (management commitment to safety, safety training, safety rules and procedures, safety communication and workers’ involvement in safety) among nurses in select Nigerian healthcare facilities.

Design/methodology/approach – A survey of 149 nurses of primary and secondary healthcare facilities in South-south Nigeria was carried out with the use of self-reported measures to obtain data on safety climate factors. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique was used in ascertaining the validity of the factors in study.

Findings – In the present study, it was found that the reliability and validity of the factors were significant notwithstanding that this is a first long among the respondents of the study.

Research limitations/implications – Generalizing the findings of this study may be limited to the location from which the respondents are drawn. Also, the present study validated existing safety climate factors, hence did not permit a correlational, causal or longitudinal inferences.

Practical Implications – The study highlights some of the most important safety climate factors needed that could determine attendant safety-related behaviours in the healthcare setting.

Originality/value – Existing literature indicates the absence of safety climate research in the Nigerian healthcare industry and especially among nurses. Also, as nurses are routinely exposed to occupational hazards and attendant accidents and injuries, this study brings to light the most critical safety climate factors that should be worthy of note in possibly ensuring the safety and health of nurses in the Nigerian healthcare system.

Keywords Nigeria, safety climate, nurses, healthcare

Paper type Research paper