Certified Healthcare Safety Professional (CHSP) Practice Exam

Which culture encourages staff to be open about errors to improve safety?

1. Compliance culture

2. Flexible culture

3. Just culture

4. Safety culture

The correct answer is: Just culture

The concept of "Just Culture" is centered around creating an environment where staff members feel safe and encouraged to report errors or near misses without the fear of punitive consequences. This approach recognizes that errors are often the result of systemic issues rather than individual negligence. By fostering a non-punitive atmosphere, a Just Culture promotes transparency and encourages learning from mistakes, thereby improving overall safety in healthcare environments. In addition to supporting open communication about errors, a Just Culture also emphasizes accountability, ensuring that while employees are encouraged to report incidents, they also understand the importance of adhering to established protocols and safety practices. This balance helps organizations identify underlying issues that contribute to errors, which can then be addressed to prevent future incidents. Other cultures, like compliance and safety cultures, may focus more on adherence to policies and procedures or general safety practices, respectively, but do not specifically emphasize the reporting and analysis of errors in a way that minimizes blame and maximizes learning. Similarly, a flexible culture might promote adaptability and innovation, but still lacks the focused approach on error communication found in Just Culture.