Keywords

trust, psychological safety, learning orientation, patient safety, social network analysis, error reporting

Abstract

Insight into opportunities for process improvement provides a competitive advantage through increases in organizational effectiveness and innovation As a result, it is important to understand the conditions under which employees are willing to communicate this information. This study examined the relationship between trust and psychological safety on the willingness to report errors in a medical setting. Trust and psychological safety were measured at the team and leader level. In addition, the moderating effect of a learning orientation climate at three levels of the organization (i.e., team members, team leaders, organizational) was examined on the relationship between trust and psychological safety on willingness to report errors. Traditional surveys and social network analysis were employed to test the research hypotheses. Findings indicate that team trust, when examined using traditional surveys, is not significantly associated with informally reporting errors. However, when the social networks within the team were examined, evidence that team trust is associated with informally discussing errors was found. Results also indicate that trust in leadership is associated with informally discussing errors, especially severe errors. These findings were supported and expanded to include a willingness to report all severity of errors when social network data was explored. Psychological safety, whether within the team or fostered by leadership, was not found to be associated with a willingness to informally report errors. Finally, learning orientation was not found to be a moderating variable between trust and psychological safety on a willingness to report errors. Instead, organizational learning orientation was found to have a main effect on formally reporting errors to risk management and documenting errors in patient charts. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are offered.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2009

Advisor

Salas, Eduardo

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree Program

Psychology

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0002818

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0002818

Language

English

Release Date

July 2012

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

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Psychology Commons

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