Risk Management and Healthcare Policy

Rethinking Patient Safety in Contemporary Healthcare: Leadership, Nursing, and Safer Systems

Patient safety remains a global healthcare priority, yet preventable harm continues to occur across acute, primary, community, long-term, mental health, and specialized care settings. Safe healthcare depends not only on technical competence and effective clinical processes, but also on organizational cultures that promote learning, transparency, accountability, compassion, and innovation. This Article Collection focuses on the interrelationship between patient safety, safety culture, just culture, the second victim phenomenon, quality management, digital transformation, and the contribution of nursing—including specialist and advanced nursing roles—to safer healthcare systems.