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How long does the FOCUS survey take the complete?

The survey takes 20 to 30 minutes.

What questions are on the survey? How is FOCUS 3.0 different than other versions of the survey?

The FOCUS 3.0 survey has items that measure all metrics included in the domains of safety climate and leadership, safety behavior, organizational outcomes, injuries, and mental health and well-being outcomes. You will receive scores for each of those on your FOCUS report.

The survey also collects demographic data, but these are de-identified and are only used for national-level analyses. For the 3.0 version of the FOCUS survey, we added new validated scales to measure things related to communication, decision-making, and behavioral health. These are data you may not have previously received if you have taken FOCUS before.

Are all questions required (forced response) on the survey?

The demographic questions are currently required in order to submit the survey. For some of the more sensitive demographic questions, members can select "prefer not to say" if desired.

If these demographic items are not required, they are often left blank, but we need these data to answer your research questions, such as: Does age or veteran status have a relationship with safety climate scores?

You should remind your members that these data are only used for national-level analyses and will not be returned back to the department with the report.

There has been a change in leadership, and I am the new FOCUS champion. Can I see our previous reports?

Absolutely—we are happy to send your department's past reports. Please reach out to us via email: FOCUS@drexel.edu

When is the survey due? How long do we have for survey administration?

Because the survey is meant to capture your safety culture at a specific point in time, we strongly recommend assessing at least 60% of your membership at each station within 30 days. This helps reduce the chance of your data being influenced by a historical event in your community or within your department, such as a natural disaster or contract negotiations.

If you are a large metropolitan department, you may need more time, and we are happy to discuss a rollout plan with you. Contact us at FOCUS@drexel.edu

How should I distribute the survey to my membership?

We recommend assigning the survey in Vector Solutions or the learning management system your department uses. This can help you determine who in your department has at least opened the assignment and taken a look at the survey.

If your department does not use an LMS, we recommend hosting an in-service training or meeting to have everyone take the survey. You can also email the survey link out to your membership—however, we find that when survey links are emailed, departments tend to have lower response rates.

Does the survey have to be taken on the computer?

The survey can be taken on a computer as well as any other device with access to the Internet, including smartphones, tablets, and iPads.

Do members have to take the survey in one sitting, or can they start and stop?

Regardless of which device an individual uses, we recommend that they try to complete the survey entirely in one sitting. However, that may not be an option for busier members.

If someone needs to pause their survey mid-way, they will be instructed to write down a code and can optionally have a convenient return link sent to their email. Progress can be saved across different devices as long as save and return instructions are followed. Please let your members know that they can save and return, and provide them with the instructions linked here if needed.

DOWNLOAD THE REDCAP SAVE AND RETURN INSTRUCTIONS

My members are too busy and can't sit for 30 minutes in one go to take the survey on the department computer. What should I do?

In this case, we recommend a few options:

• Instruct busier members to take the survey on their personal smartphone so they can return to the survey when they have time.
• Take units out of service for 30 minutes to allow them uninterrupted time to take the survey.
• Host an in-service training for everyone to learn about the survey and take it at the same time.

If you have additional questions, please contact the FIRST Center FOCUS Team at FOCUS@drexel.edu

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