For this report, we draw on evidence-based research, data, and expert insights from ECRI and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP). But we do more than highlight where concerns exist; we also provide encouragement and education to support organizations in addressing them with a Total Systems Safety approach.
#1 Patient Safety Concern: Clinicians’ Transition to Practice
Two years ago, we identified staffing shortages as the most pressing concern. Topping the list in 2024 is another staffing-related issue: challenges transitioning new clinicians from education into practice.
For newly trained clinicians, employment prospects remain strong. For example, 96% of new nurses find work compared to 53% of new graduates with degrees in other disciplines. On the surface, this is promising news. However, closer examination reveals growing concern among physicians and nursing leaders about how new clinicians are transitioning from classroom to bedside.
From nurses to medical residents, clinicians who started practicing during the COVID-19 pandemic missed significant learning experiences. At the same time, clinicians are being asked to do more and work longer—often without enough senior colleagues available to provide guidance and mentorship.
Without sufficient preparation, support, and training as they transition into practice, clinicians can experience loss of confidence, burnout, and reduced mindfulness around culture of safety. Numerous pieces of evidence suggest this is already happening:
These challenges reflect deficits at the system level and not on the part of individual clinicians. With a shared responsibility to help new clinicians navigate the transition to practice, educational institutions and healthcare organizations can consider some of the recommended actions we share in this year’s report.
The Full List of Patient Safety Concerns
Here’s the full list of the Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns for 2024:
Tackling Issues with Total Systems Safety
In the report, we offer strategies to support continuous improvement and provide specific action recommendations and additional resources for each of the Top 10 Patient Safety Issues. We’ve framed the recommendations around the four foundational drivers of Total Systems Safety: Culture, Leadership, & Governance, Patient & Family Engagement, Learning System, and Workforce Safety & Wellness.
Download the full Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns for 2024 Report.