Psychological capital, well-being, and patient safety attitudes of nurses and midwives: A cross-sectional survey.

Nursing and midwifery are unarguably stressful endeavors requiring high levels of psychological capital and coping strategies. The impact of the work environment on patient safety outcomes suggests that high nurse/midwife stress may be associated with more adverse patient events. The purpose of this study was to explore the psychological capital of clinical nurses and midwives and identify explanatory factors (including psychological capital, well-being, and health-related behaviors) contributing to attitudes to patient safety. A descriptive web- and paper-based survey comprising a convenience sample of nurses and midwives in acute health facilities in Sydney, Australia, was performed (October 2018 and April 2019). Variables included psychological capital, psychological well-being, work culture, and attitudes to patient safety. Descriptive statistics were performed and a regression model was specified (a statistical significance of P < 0.05 was set a priori). Psychological capital, depression score, and work engagement had a significant effect on patient safety perceptions when controlling for other factors. The findings suggest that nurse and midwife well-being is an important consideration when striving to improve patient safety.