Background: In global health crises, there is a heightened risk to patient and professional safety. Several studies have evaluated the safety climate, revealing different perceptions among healthcare professionals, often influenced by demographic characteristics. This study aimed to assess the percentage of problematic responses (PPR) for the patient safety climate dimensions and verify whether they differ regarding personal, professional and work unit variables. 
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 325 nursing professionals from a teaching hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, considering a significance level and sampling error of 5%. The subjects were invited through posters with QR codes placed in different units that directed the volunteers to the Google Forms questionnaire. The online format of patient safety climate in healthcare organizations (PSCHO), the Brazilian version and demographic variables were used for data collection from July to October 2021. The data were analyzed using SAS software, version 9.4. A descriptive analysis of the variables and comparison tests such as the Mann-Whitney test, analysis of variance, or the Kruskal-Wallis test were performed, followed by Dunn or Tukey post hoc tests. The data distribution was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test at a significance level 0.05. 
Results: The nursing professionals reported a high PPR for most dimensions in the overall results, except for the fear of shame, similar to the findings in the adult intensive care unit. The pediatric unit reported lower PPR for fear of shame, overall emphasis on patient safety, psychological safety, collective learning, unit safety norms and senior managers’ engagement. Some dimensions of problematic responses differed according to sex, nursing professional category, work unit, work shift, absence due to health reasons and other employments (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Recognizing and valuing the perception of nursing professionals during the pandemic can offer valuable insights for managers in healthcare organizations. This understanding can assist in enhancing hospital culture and fostering a safer environment for patients and healthcare providers.