Attachment E: Hospital Survey Data File Specifications

Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture Data File Layout

AHRQ
Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture
Survey Data File Specifications

Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture Data File Layout

AHRQ Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture
Survey Data File Specifications
These specifications are for preparing your respondent-level data from the Hospital Survey on Patient
Safety Culture. The instructions below tell you how to prepare your Excel data file for submission to
the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture Comparative Database.

INSTRUCTIONS (Excel File Only):
Step 1: Include a header row with the variable name for each column.
Step 2: Submit individual survey response data using the response values indicated in this
document (beginning on page 4).
Step 3: Check your data before submitting for the following things:
•

OUT-OF-RANGE VALUES
You should clean your data before submitting to the database to ensure that there are no outof-range values and that the data submitted are free from error. Make sure all response values
match the response value for the question.

•

REVERSE CODED ITEMS
Do not submit reverse coded data on the survey’s negatively worded items—simply submit
each individual’s unmodified responses to the survey items.
o For example, survey item A17, “We have patient safety problems in this unit” is
negatively worded, but the data should be submitted so that 1=Strongly disagree
and 5=Strongly agree, as originally indicated in the survey, as follows:
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
o For example, survey item C6, “Staff are afraid to ask questions when something
does not seem right” is negatively worded, but the data should be submitted so that
1=Never and 5= Always, as originally indicated in the survey, as follows:
1= Never
2= Rarely
3= Sometimes
4= Most of the time
5= Always
blank = MISSING

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Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture Data File Layout
o In addition, for survey item E1 on overall grade on patient safety, make sure your
data are coded as originally indicated in the survey, as follows:
A=Excellent
B=Very Good
C=Acceptable
D=Poor
E=Failing
blank = MISSING
o An additional example, for survey item G1 “In the past 12 months, how many
event reports have you filled out and submitted?” make sure your data are coded as
originally indicated in the survey, as follows:
a= No event reports
b=1 to 2 event reports
c=3 to 5 event reports
d=6 to 10 event reports
e=11 to 20 event reports
f=21 event reports or more
•

DO NOT submit RECODED data on ANY survey item.
The only exception to this recoding rule is noted below regarding modified work areas and
staff position for survey item Ai and H4:
o If your hospital modified or added new work area or staff position categories on
your survey, you MUST RECODE your specific work areas/staff positions back to
the survey’s original work area/staff position categories (a through n). If you added
work areas/staff positions that do not match any of the survey’s original work
areas/staff positions, code your specific work areas/staff positions as “OTHER”
before submitting your data. If you are unable to map them to the survey response
values then please leave them blank.

•

OTHER, PLEASE SPECIFY TEXT
Do not include Other-Please Specify data (questions Ai and H4, and Section I). While you
may find it useful to review this text, it should not be submitted to the Database.

•

SPANISH VERSION OF THE SURVEY
Please indicate which respondents (if any) completed a Spanish version of the safety culture
survey, if you have this information available. You should do so by adding an ‘S’ to the
Individual Unique Record ID (UNIQUEID), e.g. 001S

•

OTHER LANGUAGE VERSION OF THE SURVEY
Please indicate which respondents (if any) completed the safety culture survey in a
language that was not English or Spanish, if you have this information available. You
should do so by adding an ‘N’ to the Individual Unique Record ID (UNIQUEID), e.g.
001N

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Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Data File Layout – EXCEL
Variable
Column
Survey Question
Name
Position
Value Labels
Record Identifier
Site ID

Individual Unique Record ID

SITEID

Column A

UNIQUEID

Column B

If you are submitting data for multiple
hospitals, then each site should have a
unique Site ID. If you have data for only
one hospital, then its Site ID can be 1.
Each individual record in the dataset should
have a unique ID, e.g. 001, 002, 003.
NOTE: If an individual completed a
Spanish survey, add an ‘S’ at the end of the
Record ID, e.g. 001S.

SECTION A: Your Work Area/Unit

1.

What is your primary work area
or unit in this hospital?

Ai

Column C

a=Many different hospital units/No specific
unit
b=Medicine (non-surgical)
c=Surgery
d=Obstetrics
e=Pediatrics
f=Emergency department
g=Intensive care unit (any type)
h=Psychiatry/mental health
i=Rehabilitation
j=Pharmacy
k=Laboratory
l=Radiology
m=Anesthesiology
n=Other, please specify
blank = MISSING

TEXT FOR OTHER, PLEASE SPECIFY [Ai, item n]* - DO NOT SUBMIT TO DATABASE
1. People support one another in this
unit

A1

Column D

2. We have enough staff to handle
the workload

A2

Column E

3. When a lot of work needs to be
done quickly, we work together
as a team to get the work done

A3

Column F

4. In this unit, people treat each
other with respect

A4

Column G

1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING

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Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Data File Layout – EXCEL
Variable
Column
Survey Question
Name
Position
Value Labels

5. Staff in this unit work longer
hours than is best for patient care

A5

Column H

6. We are actively doing things to
improve patient safety

A6

Column I

7. We use more agency/temporary
staff than is best for patient care

A7

Column J

8. Staff feel like their mistakes are
held against them

A8

Column K

9. Mistakes have led to positive
changes here

A9

Column L

10. It is just by chance that more
serious mistakes don’t happen
around here

A10

Column M

11. When one area in this unit gets
really busy, others help out

A11

Column N

12. When an event is reported, it feels
like the person is being written
up, not the problem

A12

Column O

13. After we make changes to
improve patient safety, we
evaluate their effectiveness

A13

Column P

1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING

5

Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Data File Layout – EXCEL
Variable
Column
Survey Question
Name
Position
Value Labels

14. We work in "crisis mode" trying
to do too much, too quickly

A14

Column Q

15. Patient safety is never sacrificed
to get more work done

A15

Column R

16. Staff worry that mistakes they
make are kept in their personnel
file

A16

Column S

17. We have patient safety problems
in this unit

A17

Column T

18. Our procedures and systems are
good at preventing errors from
happening

A18

Column U

1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING

SECTION B: Your Supervisor/ Manager
1. My supervisor/manager says a
good word when he/she sees a job
done according to established
patient safety procedures

B1

Column V

2. My supervisor/manager seriously
considers staff suggestions for
improving patient safety

B2

Column W

3. Whenever pressure builds up, my
supervisor/manager wants us to
work faster, even if it means
taking shortcuts

B3

Column X

1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING

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Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Data File Layout – EXCEL
Variable
Column
Survey Question
Name
Position
Value Labels

4. My supervisor/manager overlooks
patient safety problems that
happen over and over

B4

Column Y

1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING

SECTION C: Communications
1. We are given feedback about
changes put into place based on
event reports

C1

Column Z

2. Staff will freely speak up if they
see something that may
negatively affect patient care

C2

Column AA

3. We are informed about errors that
happen in this unit

C3

Column AB

4. Staff feel free to question the
decisions or actions of those with
more authority

C4

Column AC

5. In this unit, we discuss ways to
prevent errors from happening
again

C5

Column AD

6. Staff are afraid to ask questions
when something does not seem
right

C6

Column AE

1=Never
2=Rarely
3=Sometimes
4=Most of the time
5=Always
blank = MISSING
1=Never
2=Rarely
3=Sometimes
4=Most of the time
5=Always
blank = MISSING
1=Never
2=Rarely
3=Sometimes
4=Most of the time
5=Always
blank = MISSING
1=Never
2=Rarely
3=Sometimes
4=Most of the time
5=Always
blank = MISSING
1=Never
2=Rarely
3=Sometimes
4=Most of the time
5=Always
blank = MISSING
1=Never
2=Rarely
3=Sometimes
4=Most of the time
5=Always
blank = MISSING

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Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Data File Layout – EXCEL
Variable
Column
Survey Question
Name
Position
Value Labels
SECTION D: Frequency of Events Reported
1. When a mistake is made, but is
caught and corrected before
affecting the patient, how often is
this reported?

D1

Column AF

2. When a mistake is made, but has
no potential to harm the patient,
how often is this reported?

D2

Column AG

3. When a mistake is made that
could harm the patient, but does
not, how often is this reported?

D3

Column AH

1=Never
2=Rarely
3=Sometimes
4=Most of the time
5=Always
blank = MISSING
1=Never
2=Rarely
3=Sometimes
4=Most of the time
5=Always
blank = MISSING
1=Never
2=Rarely
3=Sometimes
4=Most of the time
5=Always
blank = MISSING

SECTION E: Patient Safety Grade
1.

Please give your work area/unit
in this hospital an overall grade
on patient safety.

E1

Column AI

A=Excellent
B=Very Good
C=Acceptable
D=Poor
E=Failing
blank = MISSING

SECTION F: Your Hospital
1. Hospital management provides a
work climate that promotes
patient safety

F1

Column AJ

2. Hospital units do not coordinate
well with each other

F2

Column AK

3. Things “fall between the cracks”
when transferring patients from
one unit to another

F3

Column AL

4. There is good cooperation among
hospital units that need to work
together

F4

Column AM

1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING

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Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Data File Layout – EXCEL
Variable
Column
Survey Question
Name
Position
Value Labels

5. Important patient care
information is often lost during
shift changes

F5

Column AN

6. It is often unpleasant to work with
staff from other hospital units

F6

Column AO

7. Problems often occur in the
exchange of information across
hospital units

F7

Column AP

8. The actions of hospital
management show that patient
safety is a top priority

F8

Column AQ

9. Hospital management seems
interested in patient safety only
after an adverse event happens

F9

Column AR

10. Hospital units work well together
to provide the best care for
patients

F10

Column AS

11. Shift changes are problematic for
patients in this hospital

F11

Column AT

1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING
1=Strongly Disagree
2=Disagree
3=Neither
4=Agree
5=Strongly Agree
blank = MISSING

SECTION G: Number of Events Reported
1. In the past 12 months, how many
event reports have you filled out
and submitted?

G1

Column AU

a=No event reports
b=1 to 2 event reports
c=3 to 5 event reports
d=6 to 10 event reports
e=11 to 20 event reports
f=21 event reports or more

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Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Data File Layout – EXCEL
Variable
Column
Survey Question
Name
Position
Value Labels
SECTION H: Background Information
1. How long have you worked in
this hospital?

H1

Column AV

2. How long have you worked in
your current hospital work
area/unit?

H2

Column AW

3. Typically, how many hours per
week do you work in this
hospital?

H3

Column AX

4. What is your staff position in this
hospital?

H4

Column AY

TEXT FOR OTHER, PLEASE SPECIFY

a=Less than 1 year
b=1 to 5 years
c=6 to 10 years
d=11 to 15 years
e=16 to 20 years
f=21 years or more
a=Less than 1 year
b=1 to 5 years
c=6 to 10 years
d=11 to 15 years
e=16 to 20 years
f=21 years or more
a=Less than 20 hours per week
b=20 to 39 hours per week
c=40 to 59 hours per week
d=60 to 79 hours per week
e=80 to 99 hours per week
f=100 hours per week or more
a=Registered nurse
b=Physician assistant/Nurse practitioner
c=LVN/LPN
d=Patient care assistant/Hospital aide/Care
partner
e=Attending/Staff physician
f=Resident physician/Physician in training
g=Pharmacist
h=Dietician
i=Unit assistant/Clerk/Secretary
j=Respiratory therapist
k=Physical, Occupational, or Speech
Therapist
l=Technician (e.g., EKG, Lab, Radiology)
m=Administration/Management
n=Other, please specify

[H4, item n]* - DO NOT SUBMIT TO DATABASE

5. In your staff position, do you
typically have direct interaction or
contact with patients?

H5

Column AZ

6. How long have you worked in
your current specialty or
profession?

H6

Column BA

a=Yes, I typically have direct interaction or
contact with patients
b=No, I typically do NOT have direct
interaction or contact with patients
a=Less than 1 year
b=1 to 5 years
c=6 to 10 years
d=11 to 15 years
e=16 to 20 years
f=21 years or more

Please feel free to write any comments about patient safety, error or event reporting in your hospital*
- DO NOT SUBMIT ANY OPEN-ENDED COMMENTS TO DATABASE

*DO NOT SUBMIT OTHER SPECIFY TEXT OR TEXT ON COMMENTS TO THE DATABASE (ITEM IN
SHADED ROW)
10