Patient Safety Monitor

Briefings on Patient Safety

As part of your Patient Safety Monitor membership, you'll receive Briefings on Patient Safety. In this 12-page monthly newsletter, discover the regulatory news, best practices, and staff training ideas you need to successfully create a culture of patient safety in your facility. Don't miss another issue. Become a member of Patient Safety Monitor today!

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Issue 10, October 1, 2010 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• New York hospital?s PICU celebrates one year without central line infections

  On July 7, staff members in the pediatric ICU (PICU) at Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s...

• Commitment from senior leadership will help nurses understand just culture

  Prevention of adverse events is a part of working in a hospital environment, and when an event does...

• Understanding the pressures of quality improvement

  I’ve had a unique opportunity to reflect on the complex system in which we deliver care. The...

• IHI program dives into disruptive behavior issues

  In every workplace, no matter the field, there is likely to be certain conflicts between employees...

• Patient safety Q&A

  Q. What are some good criteria for establishing whether a process at our hospital is safe?

• New communication standards, but no new NPSGs

  Except for some minor changes, The Joint Commission has announced that there will be no other...

Issue 9, September 1, 2010 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Refocusing on handoffs can reduce safety events, improve patient safety

  After The Joint Commission released its National Patient Safety Goal concerning handoff...

• Simplifying nursing documentation provides nurses more time at the bedside

  Nursing documentation is an oft-overcomplicated process. Although many Joint Commission standards...

• Inventory management helps prevent medical errors

  Prior to 2005, the catheterization lab at Mercy Des Moines (IA)–Mercy Heart Hospital (MDM...

• Health reform's effect on patient safety

  I was always certain that my career in patient safety would be in the delivery sector, in health...

• Patient safety Q&A

  Q. What are some suggested measures we can take to prevent pressure ulcers in the operating room...

• Leapfrog Group report says without proper monitoring, HIT could negatively affect patients

  A new report released by The Leapfrog Group shows that computer physician order entry (CPOE...

Issue 8, August 1, 2010 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• New AHRQ tool to help hospitals better display quality data

  All you need to take advantage of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ...

• Malpractice data analysis offers window into surgical error

  The term “malpractice” often invokes images of courtrooms and spiraling insurance...

• The ideal just culture

  The concept of a just culture is relatively new to the healthcare industry and has become a...

• Indiana hospital involves patients and family in shift change bedside report

  Until 2007, nurses at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis relied on traditional shift...

• Patient safety Q&A

  Q. We are in the process of moving to an electronic system. How have other hospitals managed...

Issue 7, July 1, 2010 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Maryland program provides road map for reducing patient falls

  If your hospital is lucky enough to be within the borders of the state of Maryland, you can...

• Although many 2009 NPSGs have moved to standards, still important to work toward compliance

  Although the 2010 National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG) are a much smaller set than last...

• Generating real value out of core measures data

  Collecting core measures data is a part of everyday life at most healthcare facilities, affecting...

• Hospital nearly doubles medication scanning rates

  In April 2008, Baystate Medical Center (BMC), a 653-bed teaching hospital in Springfield, MA, began...

• Safety in the surgical environment

  Editor’s note: The following column explores patient safety from the perspective of a...

• Patient safety Q&A

  Q. What is a good way to measure whether a certain process is under control—that is...

Issue 6, June 1, 2010 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Nursing excellence program provides framework for patient safety initiatives

  Engaged nurses who feel like they work in an organization that values their efforts and opinions...

• Joint Commission to release communication and language standards to encourage health equity

  The Joint Commission will be releasing new standards for hospitals surrounding language, culture...

• Illinois hospital stays restraint free for five years

  The Cancer Treatment Centers (CTC) of America at Midwestern Regional Medical Center in Zion, IL...

• Finding the fun in patient safety

  By nature, I am an outgoing person. In fact, I’ve maxed out the sociability and extrovert...

• Patient safety Q&A

  Q: What type of emphasis does The Joint Commission place on the National Patient Safety Goals...

• AHRQ releases latest version of Common Formats to standardize data collection

  The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (­AHRQ) has released Common Formats Version 1.1...

Issue 5, May 1, 2010 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Report says medical students need increased training on patient safety

  Today’s medical students are not learning enough about patient safety, the importance of...

• Quilt, staff brainstorm contest help promote Patient Safety Awareness Week

  Next time you’re brainstorming a way to engage staff in a patient safety–related fair...

• ’Fire prevention’ in patient safety

  As an undergraduate and graduate student, I spent a fair amount of time listening to guest speakers...

• Good Catch program at Texas organization encourages near-miss reporting

  Staff members are often trained to report a potential medical error, or near-miss event. However...

• Patient Safety Q & A

  Is there a gold standard for the definition of a fall?

• Survey: Nurses spending up to one quarter of time on indirect patient care

  Next time your nursing staff members complain about having too much paperwork and not enough time...

Issue 4, April 1, 2010 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Consider human factors engineering when designing your patient safety projects

  When Barbara Wilson, PhD, RNC, begins any new patient safety project, she first examines the...

• Suicide risk assessment important part of survey and patient safety

  Identifying patients at risk for suicide has been a requirement of the National Patient Safety...

• Colorado hospital evaluates "missed opportunities" in rapid response teams

  Over the past five years, rapid response teams (RRT) have been brought to the forefront of American...

• Innovation and design thinking as a tool

  Innovation and design thinking is a fascinating methodology that holds much promise for healthcare...

Issue 3, March 1, 2010 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Certification defines qualified medical interpreters, keeps patients safe

  One of the most vital parts of providing adequate healthcare is the exchange of information between...

• Patient Safety Awareness Week gives facilities opportunity to train staff members, engage patients in safety issues

  Since 2002, the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) has sponsored Patient Safety Awareness...

• Learning how to prioritize patient safety projects

  As we move further into 2010, I’m excited about the opportunities for growth and improvement...

• California hospital develops electronic med rec application

  In 2007, The Joint Commission made an addition to Goal #8 regarding medication reconciliation...

• Patient safety Q&A

  Q: How should our organization meet compliance with educating patients and their families on...

• National Quality Forum endorses measures for use of electronic data in quality improvement

  The National Quality Forum (NQF) released a set of 70 measures in January that guide the...

Issue 2, February 1, 2010 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• IHI conference focuses  on doing more with less

  Hospitals need to realize that the healthcare industry is forever linked with the macroeconomics of...

• Virginia hospital celebrates five years with no VAP events

  Sentara Williamsburg (VA) Regional Medical Center (SWRMC) marked five years without a case of...

• Ohio hospital keeps TABS on patients

  In October 2008, staff members at Riverside Methodist Hospital (RMH) in Columbus, OH, approached...

• Evaluating your process for effectiveness and efficiency

  Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt from the HCPro book Effective Process Management...

Issue 1, January 1, 2010 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• More attention being paid to diagnosis errors

  When a patient visits his or her doctor, a certain level of trust is inherent in the interaction...

• Patient photos help reduce medication errors in psychiatry department of Texas hospital

  When a new patient enters a hospital, staff membersgenerally follow the same routine. The admitting...

• Briefings on Patient Safety 2009 index

  Culture of safety Illustrating the cost of poor quality. Aug., p. 1. Survey: Most hospitals make...