6) Hernan et al. (2014) AUSTRALIA | To explore patients’ and carers’ perceptions of safety in rural general practice | n = 26 patients and carers | Qualitative approach, focus group interview | Narrative analysis | Limitations are addressed |
7) Hrisos & Thomson (2013) UK | To explore from the perspectives of both patients and frontline healthcare staff, the potential consequences of a patient-mediated intervention as a way of improving safety through improvement through the involvement of patients from the perspectives of both patients and frontline healthcare staff. | n = 16, patients n = 4, relatives | Qualitative study, semi-structured interviews | NVIVO 8. | The findings cannot be generalized |
8) Bishop & Macdonald (2014) UK | To describe patient involvement in patient safety practices | n = 10 | Qualitative approach, focus group interview | Thematic analysis | The findings cannot be generalized |
9) Martin et al. (2012) DENMARK | To investigate existing practices for patient involvement in patient safety, as well as opportunities for and barriers to further involvement | n = 25 | Ethnographic methodology. Qualitative study | Nvivo for thematic coding | The departments involved received a short report or presentation with their own results and commented on them to refine the material and enhance validity |
10) Ocloo (2010) UK | To investigate the occurrence of medical harm and the construction of patient safety reforms in order to increase awareness of alternative narratives about issues of power and accountability | n = 21 14 groups | Qualitative study | Narrative analysis | Not reported. |
11) Porter & Lasiter (2008) COLUMBIA | To describe the attitudes of older housebound women related to the risk of intrusion | n = 32 participants | Descriptive phenomenological method | Descriptive analysis | Illustrative examples are included |
12) Pinto et al. (2013) UK | To explore patients’ attitudes towards the PINK video, a patient education video aimed at encouraging hospital patients’ involvement in safety-relevant behaviours | n = 36, 20 - 79 years, 18 females 18 males | Qualitative semi-structured interviews. Field notes | Content analysis | In order to access the generalizability of the findings further research on attitudes towards the video is needed in different settings with a variety of patient groups |
13) Rise et al. (2014) NORWAY | To explore how mental health service users perceive the relationship between safe care on the one hand and increased influence and decision-making on the other | n = 15 patients | Qualitative study | Not reported | Not reported |
14) Schwappach & Wernli (2010) SWITZERLAND | To assess chemotherapy patients’ perceptions of safety and their attitudes towards participation in error-prevention strategies | n = 30 patients | Qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews | Content analysis | Small sample size. Restricted generalizability. The authors chose this group of patients to minimize hypothetical bias that might explain observed differences between patients’ attitudes towards involvement in error-prevention strategies and their actual behaviour |
15) Vaismoradi et al. (2011) | To explore patients’ understandings and feelings of safety during hospitalization | n = 19 patients | Qualitative | Thematic analysis | Peer checking was performed to strengthen the credibility of the data analysis. Dependability was achieved by an audit trail from the start of the data collection until the formulation of the themes. |