Patient-Centred Communication as a Mediator of Nurses' Safety-Care Activities.

The cross-sectional design means causality cannot be inferred; nurses who are better communicators may simply be those who are already more safety-conscious. All data were self-reported, which risks social desirability bias and overestimation of safety behaviours. Convenience sampling from two university hospitals in Korea limits generalisability to other healthcare systems or workforce demographics. The model did not account for organisational factors like staffing levels, workload, or leadership style, which likely influence safety practices. The sample was predominantly female and unmarried, reflecting specific demographic characteristics that may not apply broadly.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest. Funding was provided by Chungnam National University.

Do not interpret the mediation of patient-centred communication as proof that training nurses in communication will directly cause an increase in safety-care activities. The study is cross-sectional and self-reported, so it shows an association, not a causal pathway, and cannot rule out that safety-conscious nurses are simply better communicators.