RESSURE FOR HEALTH SERVICE DELIVERY AND EMPLOYEE SAFETY BEHAVIOUR AMONG GHANAIAN HEALTH WORKERS

ABSTRACT The study examined the relationship between three dimensions of safety climate (management commitment to safety, priority of safety at the hospital, and pressure for health service delivery), and their impact on safety behaviour reported by employees. The study sought to examine if pressure for health service delivery affects the safety behaviour of healthcare workers. Using a quantitative approach, questionnaires were administered to a sample of 295 employees from two teaching hospitals in Ghana (Komfo-Anokye Teaching Hospital and Tamale Teaching Hospital). Pearson’s Moment Correlation and simple linear regression analyses were carried out to test the relationship between the three dimensions of safety and safety behaviour. The results showed that, healthcare workers’ safety behaviour was negatively related to pressure for health service delivery but related (safety behaviour) positively to management commitment to safety and priority of safety at the hospital. There was however no significant moderating effect of management commitment to safety and safety priority at the hospital between pressure for health service delivery and safety behaviour. These findings highlighted the importance of managerial commitment to safety in contexts where employees experience pressure for health service delivery and safety behaviour are concerned. The study ended by making some recommendations for management, further research and public policy.