Ongoing Projects

Project team: Prof. Dr. Matthias Weigl, Nicola Etti, Dr Nikoloz Gambashidze
Project start: December 2022
 

Background: The healthcare sector, like other high-risk industries, is characterised by high complexity, dynamics and high relevance of reliability of human performance. To achieve the common goal of patient safety, physicians need to work together in interdisciplinary teams. Psychological safety could be identified as a critical factor. Edmondson has defined the term as "a shared belief that the team is safe enough to take interpersonal risks". Psychological safety reduces interpersonal risks that inevitably accompany the uncertainties of the complex work environment. Staff who feel psychologically safe are more likely to commit physically, cognitively and emotionally to the common goal, express concerns, make mistakes and think about innovation. Both immediate patient safety and the experience of a safety culture, but also learning and developments at the organisational level are influenced by psychological safety.

Research objectives:

The aim of the study is to evaluate the perception of psychological safety among German assistant physicians. First, the level of psychological safety among residents is assessed and team and organisational factors that affect the perception of psychological safety are identified. In addition, the effects of psychological safety on the outcome parameters burnout, job satisfaction and patient safety will be investigated.

Method:

The study is conducted in collaboration with Medi-Learn, an online educational platform for medical students and residents. All residents listed in the Medi-Learn platform are invited by email to participate in this cross-sectional study. The email invitation via the database of an education provider aims to avoid selection biases and to increase the response rate. Medi-Learn as an education provider is independent of universities and employers across the borders of the federal states. The company does not receive access to the participants' study data. Data is collected anonymously directly by the IfPS using the Unipark online survey instrument. The online questionnaire consists of various content areas, including question areas on psychological safety (organisational support, support from managers and colleagues), disruptive behaviour, burnout, job satisfaction and patient safety.

Expected results:

This study will determine the current level of experienced psychological safety at work in a sample of German residents. In addition, we will evaluate organisational and team factors that influence psychological safety and the impact these have on outcome parameters such as burnout, job satisfaction and patient safety. This will allow us to derive insights into which topics and content improvement approaches to psychological safety in clinical care should be particularly addressed.

Contact: Nicola Etti ()

Project team: Amelie Koch, Larissa Brust, Judith Hammerschmidt, Dr. Nikoloz Gambashidze, Prof. Dr. Matthias Weigl
Project duration: 01.01.2023 - 31.12.2023
Funding: Financial support through the German Federal Ministry of Health

Contact: Larissa Brust (Larissa.Brust[at]ukbonn.de)

Project team: Katharina Wenderott, Nikoloz Gambashidze, Matthias Weigl
Project start: 2021
 

Contact: Katharina Wenderott (katharina.wenderott[at]ukbonn.de)

Project team: Prof. Dr. Weigl, K. Ahring-Averdunk M.Sc.

Cooperation partners at the Universityhospital Bonn:
Dr. Dipl.-Psych. A. Klein, Sektion Gynäkologische Psychosomatik, Klinik für Gynäkologie und Gynäkologische Onkologie
Prof. Gembruch, Zentrum für Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde
S. Schönhardt , M.A. Bildungszentrum, Hebammenwissenschaften
S. Nies, M. A. Ausbildungszentrum für Pflegeberufe
Jan-Bert Lengen, M.A Centrum für Aus- und Weiterbildung.

Kontakt: Katharina Ahring-Averdunk,

Project team members: Matthias Marsall, Matthias Weigl
Duration: 2021-2024
 
Background
Patient engagement does not end with the treatment in the hospital but is particularly relevant when patients resume responsibility for their own health: after the discharge from hospital. Transitional patient safety describes the process of discharge from the hospital, how to make it safe, and what outcomes are associated. However, the patient's perspective on the discharge process, aspects of safety in transition, and the effects on health-related outcomes have been insufficiently studied scientifically. In particular, there are only limited findings for the German-speaking countries. There is a high need for research to evaluate the safety of patients' care during and after discharge from hospital.
Objective
The aim of this project is to shed light on transitional patient safety and its impact on and interaction with patient engagement, patient safety related outcomes, and health related outcomes of patients after discharge from hospital.
Particularly, we aim to

• provide validated instruments to measure transitional patient safety and its outcomes in the German language
• explore and understand the patient’s perspective regarding safe discharge processes through quantitative and qualitative research approaches
• design and evaluate interventions to improve the discharge process of the organizations on the one hand and strengthen the patient’s empowerment on the other hand
• also consider the informal caregiver’s perspective (e.g., family and friends), their health status and burden of care and to evaluate interventions which support them in this process
• conduct quantitative studies to gain knowledge for different disease patterns.

Methods and Design
We use quantitative as well as qualitative research approaches in prospective studies.
 

Contact: Matthias Marsall ()

Project team members: Dr. Matthias Marsall, Prof. Dr. Matthias Weigl
Cooperation partners: Hardy Müller, Techniker Krankenkasse
 
Duration: 2022-2023
 

Contact: Dr. Matthias Marsall ()

Project team: Vera Hentgen, Prof. Dr. Matthias Weigl
Project start: 2022

Cooperation partners at the Universityhospital Bonn:

Prof. Dr. Helmut Stark, Zahnärztliche Prothetik, Propädeutik und Werkstoffwissenschaften
Dr. Milan Stoilov, Zahnärztliche Prothetik, Propädeutik und Werkstoffwissenschaften

Kontakt: Vera Hentgen ()