PURPOSE: To explore the perspectives and experiences of mental health care workers (MHCWs) when speaking up about patient safety concerns.
METHOD: A qualitative study was performed at Farshchian (Sina) Hospital in Iran, involving the purposive sampling of MHCWs from three inpatient psychiatric wards. From July to October 2022, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 participants. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis.
RESULTS: Three major patient safety themes were identified: (a) Voicing Concerns for Daily Safety (subthemes: daily safety check-ins and speaking up to prevent patient harm); (b) Speaking Up to Save Future Lives (subthemes: whistleblowing, lead-ership, and being open to communication); and (c) Hesitating to Speak Up (sub-themes: ineffectiveness of raising one's voice and whispering).
CONCLUSION: MHCWs have various concerns about speaking up or staying silent. Failure to communicate can result in adverse events and missed opportunities to address patient safety.