Designing and validating an interprofessional module on patient safety in India centred on International Patient Safety Goals

Background According to the WHO, Patient Safety (PS) is a global health priority and is a fundamental component for Universal Health Coverage. The Global Patient Safety Collaborative (2018) has emphasised building competent, skilled, and compassionate health workforce through interprofessional (IP) education and training in PS. The curriculum of Health Professions Education (HPE) in most disciplines, in India, does not include a structured component on PS. The International Patient Safety Goals (IPSG) were developed in 2006 by the Joint Commission International (JCI). IPSG help hospitals address specific areas of concern in some of the most problematic areas of PS. The study proposes a validated IP module on PS and its integration in the health professions curriculum in India, based on IPSG as mentioned in the Indian Nursing Curriculum. Method The module was designed based on Kern’s 6 steps of curriculum development and 12 strategies recommended by El-Awaisi et al and finalised through 5 rounds of focus group discussions with a proposed plan to run over 2 weeks, without interrupting the planned schedule of internship. Twelve IP experts from Medical, Nursing and Physiotherapy professions participated in the content validation through Delphi technique. The module will be implemented and evaluated in the subsequent academic year at Bhaikaka University and reported, post-implementation. This is an educational, interventional, mixed method study using descriptive analysis for quantitative data and qualitative analysis for reflections and feedback from learners and faculty. Discussion The study resulted in a validated, compact, contextual IP module on PS which is replicable. There was consensus on all 7 proposed competencies, 22 specific learning objectives, teaching-learning methods and assessment methodology through Delphi Technique, with a content validity ratio of 0.78 for each item. The module addresses a felt gap in the Indian HPE by incorporating core IP competencies and critical PS concerns, inclusive of medication safety, health care-associated infections and unsafe surgeries. In the long run, it will lead to reduced adverse events, better patient outcomes and therefore, health improvement. at Bhaikaka University and other institutions. In agreement with Wu et al we recommend that PS be included as a basic science for HPE.