Summary: Sbar

Patient safety is number one in hospitals. Every staff member that comes into contact with a patient should always have the question, “Will the patient be safe?” in the back of

The Healthcare field is becoming more aware of how important it is to change the way that organizational culture is becoming in order to help improve patient safety. Even though patient safety plays a very important part of our health care system which helps explain the importance quality of health care. However, when trying to keep patients safe, it can be a demanding challenge because of human errors and mistakes that are made. According to World Health Organization, patient safety is the absence of preventable harm to a patient while in the process of health care (who.int/patientsafety). Being in the position of a clinical content manager, the first step in reporting problems is to make sure that when reporting a problem, it need to be done at the earliest stage to show the importance to the company. The approach that I would take as a Clinical content manager is to identify the problem, have regular shift meetings to address any issues, flag any errors that occurred, have regular safety meeting, give feedback to staff on any errors that were found, try to figure out the best solution not only for the patients, but staff also, and although being a team leader, I would give the staff the opportunity to address any concerns that they may have.

As health care workers we are under a legal obligation to protect an individual from any kind of abuse, whether it is physical, financial, emotional, sexual or psychological .Legislation, policies and procedures exist to promote a safer working environment and reduce the potential for risks occurring. They are tailored for the needs of each setting, known and understood by employers and employees and reviewed on a regular basis.

Flames of evolution in patient care have been fanned into a wholesome revolution in the nature of nursing care due to the ever changing healthcare needs and demands of patients. This has led to a paradigm shift from generalized patient care to a patient centered approach. The increase in interaction and individualized patient management has improved healthcare delivery. However, on the flipside, this has not come with new challenges. Healthcare providers are increasingly being exposed to new health hazards as new and sophisticated treatment approaches are developed. Injuries due to sharps are of significance in nursing practice. The International Healthcare Workers Safety Center (2010) reports that an average of 27.97 per 100 licensed beds sharps injuries occurred in 2007 while in 2008 17.2 per 100 licensed beds sharps injuries were recorded. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010), 385,000 healthcare workers are injured due to sharps annually in the United States. This puts the healthcare personnel at risk of contracting infections such as Hepatitis C and B from contaminated objects. In regard to this concept, this paper will explore sharps safety at the clinical site with a view of using evidence based practice to creating awareness on the need for sharps safety in hospital settings.

Verbal and nonverbal communications are essential components of nursing care. It is critical for patient care providers to ensure an accurate portrayal of the patient. The situation background assessment recommendation (SBAR) protocol is a technique that provides a structure for communication between patient care providers. SBAR was a tool designed to promote efficient care that ensures patient safety.

Management needs to empower nurses to speak when they feel there is a safety issue

If formal communication is not used in the correct environment, misunderstanding may occur, causing danger to somebody’s health. Appropriate language must also be used; Professional references, proper English without slang and clear consistent wording.

healthcare organization accrediting bodies, and to maintain credibility with patients and peers alike, must adhere to the National Patient Safety Goals. As stated by Ulrich and Kear (2014), "Not only are nurses responsible for providing safe patient care, we are also responsible for creating an environment in which others can provide safe patient care, and for being the last line of defense when needed between the patient and potential harm. Having a deep understanding of patient safety and patient safety culture allows nurses to be the leaders we need to be in ensuring that our patients are always

Healthcare organizations are committed to providing clients with quality service and experience while promoting safety, health, and healing. Nurses have the biggest impact in providing safe client care and are known for their commitment in improving or increasing client health. However, this ethical commitment may not always be met due to breakdowns in healthcare delivery. Deviations such as adoption of unsafe practices or behaviors can lead to sentinel events. Any disconnects or disruptions can be a detriment to client care. This paper will present recent cases of witnessed breakdowns of facility protocols that have led to adoptions of unsafe nursing practices, discuss its impact to healthcare, and how it has affected my personal perspective on the issue.

On July 19, 2011, the Texas Senate passed the bill, Senate Bill 6 or SB-6. It was passed with a nine to five along party lines that will impact Texas education for the next ten years. (“Texas school board…”) The bill creates a fund for instructional materials in each district under the Educational Materials Online, or EMAT system. The bill requires each district to state how the IMA is used for educational purposes that cover the requirements for TEKS, or Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, under the State board of education (SBOE). Districts of Texas, as of 2011, can now go to outside sources to get their materials, not approved in the SBOE process, and use the IMA to buy it, get supplemental resources, or get materials from the SBOE.

The Joint Commission also addresses safety issues through the publication and distribution of the Sentinel Event which identifies a severe breach in safety and addresses ways on how to improve processes and to prevent harm in the future. It also publishes the National Patient Safety Goals which address healthcare safety and ways to solve problems that focus on issues such as identifying patients correctly, improving communication among staff, and administering medications safely, just to name a few. “A majority of Joint Commission standards are directly related to safety, addressing such issues as medication use, infection control, surgery and anesthesia, transfusions, restraint and seclusion, staffing and staff competence, fire safety, medical equipment, emergency management, and security. The standards also include requirements for preventing accidental harm; responding to patient safety events; and the organization’s responsibility to tell patients about the outcomes of their care” (TJC,

Seeing first-hand the neglect of patients by distracted nurses is disturbing. One day, at the beginning of my shift as a nurse’s aide at a long term care facility, call lights were going off and a patient was screaming for help as I hurried to the room. Immediately, I saw the privacy curtain pulled back, revealing a semi-dressed patient. Her adult diaper was soaked through and had leaked onto her gown and bed. I rushed to her bedside and attempted to clean up as fast as I could, but there were no gloves or linens nearby. I was forced to leave this traumatized lady to go search for much needed supplies and another set of helping hands. As we came back into the room with supplies to provide patient care, I

You are so correct, it is importance for us health professionals to share a common understanding of patient safety standards and practices and improve patient safety depends largely on the ways in which we; share and learn with other health professionals as well as students. We must improve the way we treat each other by using respect and compassion, and learn from one another and from patient safety events or any challenges that impact the ability for us as health professionals, to improve is to ensure better patient outcomes and patient experience in (Milstead 2015 [Power Point slide 6-10).

A medical setting in which a patient feels safe and secure is more likely to create the conditions in which optimal outcomes can be achieved. Part of helping to ensure a patient feels secure is addressing the communication barriers between the provider and the patient. Some of these barriers arise from the use of professional jargon. Surgeons, Physicians, Nurses, etc. work at a fast pace to make sure that every patient is attended to. As this is their profession, medical jargon is used frequently when communicating to each other, figuring out a diagnosis, and coming up with a treatment plan for the patient. But this medical jargon creates a barrier between the healthcare professional and the patient. There can be misunderstandings between the patient and the professional when it comes to diagnoses and treatment plans due to the communication barrier. The professionals commonly use medical terminology to inform the patient of their status and a patient may simply nod their head to be polite. This nod does not necessarily mean that there is a mutual understanding, it could potentially mean that they are overwhelmed and don’t know how else to act in response to long confusing words being directed at them. This is dangerous because a patient could leave the facility not knowing how to appropriately take care of themselves after their procedure/diagnosis. Medical jargon has the potential to cause the patient and medical professional relationship to be both broken and

In 2013, before some hospitals required monthly meetings, 44% of staff stated they would not speak up if they saw something negatively affecting patient safety. Changes were made and another survey was conducted in 2014, this time, 72% of people surveyed said they would feel free to question the decision or action of those with authority. 97% would speak up if they saw something negatively affecting patient care (Hemingway, O’Malley, & Silvestri, 2015).