Strategies for Improving Patient Safety Culture in Hospitals, Essay Example

Introduction

Near-miss events occur throughout nursing practice and may jeopardize a patient’s wellbeing if a risk to health is identified. Therefore, these experiences provide a learning curve that is designed to facilitate an effective and meaningful response to adversity that impacts how nurses care for and treat patients in a variety of settings. The concept of a near-miss should be sufficient to make all nurses fully aware of the risks of rushing or eliminating steps, as these conditions may influence how a nurse responds to a given situation. The most positive outcome must be sought and supported by the actions that are taken by the responsible party to improve quality of care and general patient safety at this stage.

Body

In one example, a patient nearly received the wrong medication dosage that could have had disastrous results, but the potential error was caught in time and was avoided altogether. Nonetheless, this was a risk that the nurse in question did not want to take; therefore, once she took a step back from the situation, she realized how she might be able to prevent the same circumstances in the future. Patient safety tools must be available that will have a positive impact on quality of care and patient wellbeing, while also demonstrating a high level of consistency in practice methods (Nieva & Sorra, 2003). It is believed that a culture of safety will aim to improve quality of care and support a commitment to protecting patients from unnecessary risk or harm (Morello et.al, 2013). Most notably, careful review and analysis of each medication order prior to administration, as well as resolving any discrepancies at this stage may have a positive impact on medication administration and in reducing the number of errors that occur in this area. It will also encourage communication and a united front regarding safety within the medication administration environment.

Conclusion

Nurse errors or near-miss events require further evaluation in the context of protecting patient safety as best as possible. These activities must incorporate the development of strategies for nurses to execute that will impact their patients in a positive manner. These efforts must also engage them in understanding how to improve quality of care at a consistent level to meet expectations.

References

Morello, R. T., Lowthian, J. A., Barker, A. L., McGinnes, R., Dunt, D., & Brand, C. (2013). Strategies for improving patient safety culture in hospitals: a systematic review. BMJ quality & safety, 22(1), 11-18.

Nieva, V. F., & Sorra, J. (2003). Safety culture assessment: a tool for improving patient safety in healthcare organizations. Quality and Safety in Health Care, 12(suppl 2), ii17-ii23.