What is the role of theory in research on patient safety and quality improvements? Is there a Nordic perspective to theorising?

In this chapter, we will discuss ways in which theory plays a role in research on patient safety and quality improvement. In general, theory provides us with the capacity to understand and account for empirical phenomena, to explain relationships between constructs and to predict conditions under which relationships are more likely to hold. More specifically, in improvement and implementation work and other applied domains, theory gives us a framework by which to conduct evaluations to understand what works and why. Within research on patient safety and quality improvement in healthcare, the role of theory has so far been under-reported or under-recognised, or both. We will investigate the reasons for this and look at different ‘applications’ of theory within patient safety and quality improvement, respectively. We will also reflect on the question of whether there is a possible – or potential – Nordic perspective to theorising within patient safety and quality.