Aberdeen Hospital leaders boost safety through training

Aberdeen Hospital leaders in New Glasgow are driving safer care by asking tough questions, leading honest conversations and putting patients first through a new safety education pilot. The three-part pilot, hosted at Summer Street and supported by the Aberdeen Health Foundation, gave participants the opportunity to learn and reflect together. The group focused on building knowledge and confidence in three key areas: patient safety incident analysis, disclosure and just culture through collaborative partnerships between clinical operational leaders and the Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Leaders.  

Summer Street is a well-respected Pictou County-based community organization dedicated to creating opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities. 

Each topic was grounded in real examples, open discussion and practical tools. The aim is to build clarity and confidence in how teams support patients, families and colleagues following a safety incident. 

“This is about empowering people to lead with compassion, accountability and a commitment to learning,” said executive director Michelle Ferris of the Aberdeen Health Foundation. “There’s real power in coming together, in person, to reflect, share experiences and grow. The Foundation is proud to support this work because it helps strengthen patient care, staff wellbeing and public trust in our healthcare system.”

“I never saw disclosure education offered before in my previous roles and with other health organizations, so I jumped at the opportunity,” said Sarah Wilkie, rehab, ambulatory care and support services director in the Northern Zone. “There is such a need for better understanding, and I think the full room today demonstrates just that.”

The sessions were impactful and educational. Post-session surveys showed a clear increase in understanding across all three topics. Most participants said they felt more confident and better equipped to support patients, families and teams following a safety incident.

Participants also received take-home resources, such as checklists and current policies like the recently updated Patient Safety Incident (PSI) Management Policy and Procedure, to help guide them in real situations. These tools are key to fostering supportive, transparent and fair responses when something doesn’t go as planned. A strong response can reduce harm, build trust and support healing for everyone involved.

This education series supports broader work at Nova Scotia Health to strengthen safety culture. Sessions continue for clinical leaders in the province this fall. Additionally, there are new educational opportunities for frontline staff available through Learning Management System (LMS) modules. This includes the launch of our new Safety Culture learning module, now available on LMS. This new course builds on the foundation set by Nova Scotia Health’s first-ever Just Culture Policy, which was released in March and goes into effect next year. It replaces the previous Just Culture course.

Thank you to everyone who took part in the pilot and brought curiosity, honesty and heart to this important work. Together, you're helping create safer care for everyone who walks through our doors.

Photo of leaders from Aberdeen Hospital who gathered at Summer Street for a new safety education pilot, supported by the Aberdeen Health Foundation.