The Role Of Medical Social Work, Nursing, And Health Administration In Advancing Patient Safety, Quality Of Care, And Infection Prevention: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Patient safety, healthcare quality, and infection prevention remain critical priorities in contemporary healthcare systems. Sustainable improvement in these domains requires coordinated efforts that extend beyond isolated clinical interventions. Interdisciplinary collaboration among nursing professionals, medical social workers, and health administrators has emerged as a key determinant of enhanced clinical and organizational performance. This systematic review synthesizes evidence published between 2015 and 2025 examining the independent and collective contributions of these disciplines to patient safety indicators, quality-of-care outcomes, and infection prevention performance. A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL in accordance with PRISMA 2020 reporting standards. Thirty studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings indicate that nursing-led interventions significantly reduce healthcare-associated infections and medication errors through structured protocols and evidence-based practice bundles. Medical social work interventions strengthen transitional safety, improve adherence, and reduce hospital readmissions through psychosocial assessment and coordinated discharge planning. Health administration contributes by fostering safety culture, implementing governance frameworks, and reinforcing institutional accountability mechanisms. Interdisciplinary models consistently demonstrated more sustainable and measurable improvements compared to single-discipline approaches. These findings support the institutionalization of integrated safety frameworks to advance long-term healthcare quality and patient safety outcomes.