A Crash Course in Patient Safety: 6 Things New Nurses Need to Know
Each year, an astounding number of patients die as a result of medical errors endured in hospitals. In fact, the average number of premature deaths caused by preventable medical errors is anywhere from 210,000 to more than 400,000 per year, according to astudy by Patient Safety America. This makes it the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. behind heart disease and cancer!
The statistics are alarming and explain the recent initiatives around general patient safety and well-developed patient safety initiatives. Being up-to-speed on these issues is a must for any new nurse entering the field.
Keep reading for an overview on patient safety and its importance. You’ll also receive some important insight from experts in the field as you prepare to embark on your own nursing journey.
在护理信息会议上获取您的哺乳学校问题
什么是患者安全？
患者安全已成为医学界的一种流行语。作为护士或不久的护士，重要的是你知道它需要什么，你的角色以及如何让自己成为最好的患者安全倡导者。
患者安全举措的目的是防止可能导致患者不希望的（有时致命的）结果的医疗误差。“我将其定义为尽可能的警惕的患者护理，以获得最佳的结果，”Nick Angelis，CRNA，MSN和MSN和作者.
定义其完全需要的东西是一点复杂的，因为患者的整体安全性在不同部门的许多人的手中。不仅仅是他们的实际提供者和护士，那些与他们的健康记录相互作用，在医学编码和其他人中工作都会对患者的整体安全产生影响。
As a nurse, you will play a vital role in your patients’ safety, as you are often their most present healthcare provider. You might be the first person to hear of an issue or pain your patient is experiencing – you may even be the only person they tell.
阅读，看看其他护士和医疗专业人员认为您应该了解患者安全。
6 Things nurses should know about patient safety
您希望在患者安全性以及将会预期的内容时，您可以进入或巩固您的新职业生涯。从您面前走到的专家中学习，所以您的妥善设备齐全可让您的患者安全。
1. You need to be an active listener
Active listening is one of the top skills nurses will need, according tothe U.S. Department of Labor(DOL). This means you’ll need to give your full attention to what your patients are saying and ask questions to ensure you understand their comments and concerns.
“It’s important that nurses be active listeners who seek to understand the patient’s point of view and, together with the rest of the care team, actively engage the patient in decision-making,” saysDr. William Maples, executive director of the卓越医疗保健研究所，llc和cmo在Professional Research Corporation.
2. Critical thinking is key
考虑可能的结果，考虑到最佳行动方案对于护理职业和患者安全至关重要。批判性地思考和making rational decisions under pressure is an essential part of your job as a nurse.
"Part of patient safety is to think about what could go wrong."
“部分患者安全就是考虑可能出错的东西，”Angelis说。“柔软，为病人订购的较高的床垫让它变得更有可能落下床上？或者在上午9:00给予如此多的IV抗生素。脆弱患者的风险心脏心脏衰竭？“
You’ll rarely encounter two identical patient scenarios, which is why every situation needs to be uniquely assessed. The smallest decision could result in severe consequences, so it’s crucial to be confident in your knowledge and training.
3. You are the patient’s advocate
As the healthcare professional who typically spends the most time with the patient, it’s your job to pay attention. You must be aware of ways in which you can advocate for the patient’s needs and concerns.
“The best advice I can give to nurses is to realize that the role of being your patient’s advocate for patient safety is most important,” says nurse educatorKelly Moed, MSN. She believes patient advocacy should be top-of-mind during every minute you’re on duty as a nurse.
4. You MUST report if things do go awry
不body wants to be a tattletale, but it’s extremely important to report any errors you might witness – even if you’re the one at fault. Even the smallest mix-up can have detrimental outcomes, which is why this is a vital part of patient safety.
“Recognizing and reporting situations such as system failure, human error, drug reactions and breach in infection control can keep your current patient safe and keep future patients safe from adverse events or errors,” says Moed.
5. Never disregard prevention measures
“一名护士可以通过积极参与避免医院获得的条件和不良事件的程序和计划来防止对患者进行严重伤害或死亡，以避免医院获得的条件和不良事件，”Moed说。
预防程序的例子是洗手，灭菌工具和手术清单。这些措施是为了出于某种原因到位，因此您对他们宗教行为至关重要 - 无论他们看起来多么乏味。
6. Teamwork is essential
“Nurses and the entire care team must also commit themselves to卓越在团队合作中,“枫树博士说。有这么多不同的成员in a healthcare team, everyone must band together to ensure exceptional patient safety.
"In my experience, medical units with higher teamwork scores have higher HCAHPS scores & lower medical errors."
As a nurse, it’s crucial to practice effective communication habits with other healthcare professionals. Interacting with various medical personnel and handing off patients to other nurses in between shifts can open the door to miscommunication and mishaps.
“In my experience, medical units with higher teamwork scores have higherhscores and lower medical errors,” Dr. Maples adds.
Feeling fully prepared
It’s no secret that patient safety initiatives should be taken seriously by every member of a healthcare team. Even though you may not be the one prescribing medication or performing surgery, nurses play a large role in ensuring patient safety is met.
现在你知道更多的期待时n it comes to ensuring patient safety, you may be seeking other ways to feel more prepared for your new nursing career. Check out our article:What I Wish Someone Told Me Before Becoming an RN.
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