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☐ ☆ ✇ Journal of Advanced Nursing

Let's Talk About the Elephant in the Room: A Psychological Safety Climate Intervention Among Nursing Teams—A Qualitative Evaluation

Por: Pamela Mazzocato · Jenny Del Villar Pérez · Karin Herber · My Keita · Marta Roczniewska — Julio 4th 2025 at 14:41

ABSTRACT

Aim

To explore how a staff and managers experienced a multi-component and multi-level intervention to influence the psychological safety climate within nursing teams.

Design

Qualitative, to explore the experiences of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and managers in a Swedish hospital.

Methods

Four focus group discussions were conducted in March 2023 with staff and managers (n = 20). A deductive thematic analysis was conducted, guided by a theoretical model of psychological safety, to examine work climate perceptions and antecedent conditions. An inductive approach was used to explore how participants experienced the intervention.

Results

Participants experienced a shift from a blame-oriented to a more psychologically safe work climate. These developments were enabled by enhanced self-awareness, more supportive interpersonal dynamics, and leaders adopting a more accessible and vulnerable role. The intervention created a safe space to reflect on team dynamics.

Conclusion

Sustained efforts that integrate self-awareness, interpersonal dynamics, and managerial support are important to intentionally develop psychological safety. The creation of safe spaces can serve as a first step to confront unaddressed group beliefs.

Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care

Interventions aimed at improving psychology safety can have positive effects if they focus on developing individual trust and vulnerability, targeting group dynamics, and including leaders.

Impact

Problem addressed: Inadequate psychological safety among nursing teams, hindering effective collaboration. Main findings: By changing work conditions, the intervention led to improved perceived psychological safety. Research impact: Creating conditions for psychological safety can improve how teams function.

Reporting Method

COREQ-checklist.

Patient or Public Contribution

No PPI patient or public contribution.

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