Exploring nurses’ perspectives on patient safety culture in neonatal intensive care units: a phenomenological study (15 October 2025)

Summary

This study, published in BMC Nursing, used in-depth qualitative methods to explore the concept of patient safety culture and its dimensions from the perspectives of nurses working in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 15 NICU nurses working in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The study’s findings consider the influence of systemic barriers (staffing shortages, workload, communication gaps) and facilitators (teamwork, leadership support, peer mentoring). Furthermore, it brings out emotional and ethical dimensions of safety such as fear of blame, moral distress when unable to deliver optimal care.