RESEARCH ARTICLE u

io tion, setting the stage for unprecedented efforts and activities to improve patient safety. Sweden has under-patient safety. They have organized patient safety confer-ences, set up networks of experts and policy-makers and Ridelberg et al. BMC Nursing 2014, 13:23 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6955/13/23quirements for specific patient safety indicators. A visionDepartment of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Health Care Analysis, Linkoping University, Linköping 581 83, Swedentaken many national, regional, and local initiatives to im-prove patient safety since the mid-2000s, with increased activity over the last few years. A national study from 2008 showed that the incidence (8.6%) of adverse events in Swedish hospitals was not lower than international comparisons [2]. This brought increased focus to patient safety in Swedish health care. The Swedish Association published widely distributed handbooks and evidence-based guidelines for health issues such as falls, pressure ulcers, medication errors in health care transitions and health care-associated infections. In 2011, a new law on patient safety was introduced and a government-supported financial incentive plan was initi-ated by SALAR), which has allocated over 2 billion SEK for 2011–2014 to county councils that carry out certain patient safety-enhancing actions and meet established re- * Correspondence: mikaela.ridelberg@liu.sethe mid-2000s, but solid evidence of effectiveness for many solutions is often lacking. Nurses play a vital role in patient safety, constituting 71 % of the workforce in Swedish health care. This interview study aimed to explore perceived facilitators and barriers influencing patient safety among nurses involved in the direct provision of care. Considering the importance of nurses with regard to patient safety, this knowledge could facilitate the development and implementation of better solutions. Methods: A qualitative study with semi-structured individual interviews was carried out. The study population consisted of 12 registered nurses at general hospitals in Sweden. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: The nurses identified 22 factors that influenced patient safety within seven categories: ‘patient factors’