Human factors and patient safety in undergraduate healthcare education: A systematic review

Background: WHO Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030 presents Human Factors (HF) capacity development as a core strategic objective. HF has been identified as a suitable framework for delivery of patient safety education. Findings of a previous review identified a lack of formally articulated patient safety curricula with Human Factors and Ergonomics largely absent. Objective: to capture the extent to which HF is currently reported in the context of undergraduate healthcare curricula, and to characterise how it is reported using SEIPS 101. Methods: Using a publication timeframe from 2016–2021 A systematic search was conducted using the following databases: Embase, Pubmed, Scopus, CINAHL and Eric. Relevant websites were searched for grey literature. The PETT (People, Environments, Tools and Tasks) component of SEIPS 101 was chosen as framework for data extraction and analysis. Results: 25 papers were included in the review. In comparison with a previous review, findings demonstrate increased reporting of HF in the context of undergraduate healthcare curricula. SEIPS 101 helped identify both barriers and opportunities relating to HF implementation under the headings of people, environment, tools and tasks. Barriers included lack of shared safety language, lack of faculty expertise in patient safety (PS) as well as the lack of appropriate HF based competency framework to guide curriculum development. Opportunities included increased organisational collaboration between academic and clinical settings with respect to PS teaching. Educational accreditation bodies, and the professional regulators who influence them, were identified as important drivers of curricular change.