Global Perspectives on Patient Safety: The Central Role of Nursing Management

Background: Unsafe care causes millions of deaths annually, representing one of the top ten causes of mortality and disability worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030 calls for systemic leadership engagement to eliminate avoidable harm. Nurses, who comprise the largest segment of the healthcare workforce, play a pivotal role in achieving these goals. Objective: This narrative review examines global evidence linking nursing management practices—particularly leadership, staffing, and safety culture—to patient safety outcomes. Methods: A purposive literature review of peer-reviewed studies published between 2020 and 2025 was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus databases. Thematic synthesis identified patterns across diverse healthcare systems, emphasizing leadership style, staffing ratios, and workforce resilience. Results: Evidence from 70 international studies reveals three consistent findings: (1) adequate nurse staffing significantly reduces adverse events; (2) transformational and participative leadership styles foster stronger safety cultures and improved patient outcomes; and (3) burnout mitigation and workforce resilience are essential for sustaining safety initiatives. Conclusions: Nursing management stands at the intersection of policy and practice. Empowering nurse leaders through education, adequate staffing, and supportive governance structures is essential to achieving global safety goals.