ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In the professional public there is agreement that healthcare professionals worldwide should already be prepared for safety in patient care during their education. OBJECTIVE: How can the topic of patient safety be successfully integrated into the curricula of healthcare professions? MATERIAL AND METHODS: Overview of the Marburg curriculum on patient safety during the practical year as well as of other approaches to teaching patient safety described in the literature. RESULTS: In recent years teaching initiatives on patient safety have significantly increased; however, they are still not comprehensively distributed in German-speaking countries or throughout Europe. In the context of implementation, the multiprofessional edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) patient safety curriculum guide may be used as guideline. A current, very promising development in connection with acquiring and examining the competences that are necessary for safe patient care is the establishment of interprofessional training wards. CONCLUSION: In the meantime, there are clearly defined strategies for the integration of the topic of patient safety into the curricula of healthcare professionals. On the way towards a successful restructuring of the curricula including the necessary competences and behavioral changes of the students, however, relevant support by the management of faculties and teaching hospitals is essential.
