Although many of the same patient safety risk factors that exist in medical settings apply to mental health settings, unique patient safety issues arise in the mental health context. These issues are either more common among individuals with mental illness or are not commonly found in acute medical care. Furthermore, cumulative stress, compassion fatigue and trauma due to experiences with patient safety incidents impact the mental wellness of our healthcare providers – which in turn puts greater strain on the quality of care patients receive.

The topics in this section focus on the psychological health and safety of both healthcare providers and patients. If healthcare providers are protected, they are better able to provide safe care to patients; if patients have tools to help guard their mental health, they are at less risk during their healthcare journey.