How Nursing Home Professionals Frame the Perspective on Residents' Safety Management: A Q-Methodology Approach

To identify a frame of reference for resident safety management in nursing homes. Q-methodology. This study was conducted using Q-methodology to identify shared perspectives about resident safety management among nursing home professionals. Data were collected from 13 May 2023, through 29 August 2023. Thirty-four professionals, including nurses, care workers, social workers and physical therapists, classified Q-samples into a normal distribution grid through Q-sorting. Data analysis was performed using the PQmethod programme. Q-factors were interpreted by integrating interview transcripts, demographic data and factor arrays that organised the analysis results. The analysis included the Q-sort of 33 professionals, with an average age of 46.03 years and 6.53 years of nursing home experience, after excluding one individual who did not fit any Q-factor. Four Q factors explaining 63% of the total variance were identified: constructing individualised possible risk trajectories, utilising ingrained safety principles, creating supportive safety environments and coordinating safety principles with individual needs. Understanding the diverse subjectivities of professionals can help develop strategies that promote collaboration among nursing home professionals and support preventive safety management practices. The frame of reference derived from nursing home professionals' perspectives suggests a resident-tailored framework. This study supports the development of interprofessional education tailored to the specific needs of nursing home settings by identifying shared perspectives among nursing home professionals. The findings highlight the need for clear guidelines to help professionals balance resident autonomy with safety and assess the impact of family involvement. Reporting involved qualitative and quantitative approaches, in compliance with the MMAT criteria for mixed-method research. No Patient or Public Contribution.