IOSR Journal of Nursing and Health Science (IOSR-JNHS) e-ISSN: 2320–1959.p- ISSN: 2320–1940 Volume 9, Issue 3 Ser. VIII (May - June 2020), PP 01-11 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/1959-0903080111 www.iosrjournals.org 1 | Page Quality of Care and Patients' Safety Awareness and Compliance among Critical Care Nurses at Qassim National Hospital: Adopting IPSGs *Dr. Mahmoud Abdul Hameed A. Shahin 1 , Radhi KrimAlshammari 2 , HanadiHusniAlabed 3 1 (Ph.D. in Critical Care Nursing, Assistant Professor at Al-Ghad International Colleges for Applied Medical Sciences, Saudi Arabia 2 (BSc, RN, Postgraduate Cardiovascular Program SCFHS. ICU Head Nurse, King Khalid Hospital Hail, Saudi Arabia 3 (Master of Critical Care Nursing, Head of the Education Department, Qassim National Hospital, Saudi Arabia *Corresponding Author:Mahmoud Abdul Hameed A. Shahin, Email: mahmood81us@yahoo.com. Abstract: Background:Patient safety is a fundamental quality corner and represents one of the most important concerns in healthcare practice; therefore, the promotion of patient safety is crucial in healthcare settings. The aim of the study is to identify the level of knowledge among critical care nurses and compliance with international patient safety goals (IPSGs) at the Qassim National Hospital in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, research design was used in this study. A self- administered questionnaire was distributed for data collection. A convenience sampling method was utilized, to include all accessible critical care nurses at Qassim National Hospital (n=147). Results: The mean of knowledge mean-scores for the nurses regarding IPSGs was high [mean (M) = 0.93, standard deviation (SD) = 0.07], which indicated that critical care nurses have a generally high level of IPSGs knowledge. The highest mean of knowledge mean-scores among the six IPSGs was identified for IPSG3, which reflected a significantly increased awareness regarding the proper handling of high-alert medications. The overall compliance with IPSGs was very high (M= 4.64), and the mean score for applying hand hygiene was the highest among all examined IPSGs. Conclusion: Although staff awareness regarding IPSGs was satisfactorily high, opportunities for improvement continue to exist. Patient safety can be assured and developed through the provision of continuing education programs and the encouragement of staff attendance for these courses. Nurses' awareness of safety issues at hospitals can be increased via various means, such as lectures, workshops, and on-the-job training. Considering the detected knowledge gaps among nurses, the findings of this study can be used as a reference for designing educational programs and unified protocols that focus on IPSGs in Saudi Arabian hospitals. Focusing on IPSGs during college education, orientation programs for newly hired hospital nurses, on-the-job training programs, and nursing board examinations is highly important. Key Word:Knowledge, Adherence, Safe care, Care quality, Safety goals, Nurses. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 02-06-2020 Date of Acceptance: 17-06-2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Introduction The safety and quality of patient care are fundamental issues for every healthcare organization that aims for the provision of safe care, with a high degree of quality, based on the expectations of the community population. 1 Patient safety remains a priority issue on the agendas of healthcare practitioners, hospitals, and governments. Moreover, patient safety is a crucial principle of healthcare, and almost every factor in a healthcare setting is associated with some degree of risk to patient safety. 2 In various healthcare provider settings, such as hospitals, acute care management, home care, and primary healthcare centers, patient safety remains a challenge that must be confronted and maintained. Thus, the ultimate aim in all healthcare settings is the promotion of patient safety, which constitutes one of the largest threats to the quality of care delivered. 3 According to Alam and Alabdulaali (2016), 1 the center of attention in healthcare organizations is the patient. Patients must be able to obtain excellent care, under safe clinical practice conditions, which could contribute to improvements in the patient's condition and treatment plan. In addition, the provision of safe, effective, and quality healthcare is necessary for many healthcare facilities and organizations, to better serve