In: Nursing
client safety
As a nurse we have the responsibility to make sure the client safety .we should provide comprehensive health care services. Patient safety is the absence of preventable harm while providing health care services .Patient safety is the health care discipline and violation result in harm to the patient. Safety health care is essential components of quality health care services .Ensuring patient safety is important for healthcare personal.
134 million adverse events are occure in the hospital of high and middle income country due to unsafe care, every year. From that 2.6 million death are occurred. In developed countries 1 in every 10 patient are harm by unsafe care. Patient harm by unsafe care is the leading cause for death.
The main purpose of patient safety is that prevents adverse effects from unsafe practices and provide high quality health care services .
Goal of patient safety
:effective communication
:improve safety of high alert medication
:identify patient correctly.
:reduce risk of health care associated infection
:ensure safe surgery
:reduce the risk of patient harm from falls.
Causes for unsafe care
Poor communication :poor communication between health care personal and between nurse and patient is one of the cause for unsafe care. This poor communication lead to lack of understanding or misunderstandings of patient care and later lead to adverse events.
:poor skilled health care personal :good skill is necessary to ensure patient safety and prevent complication.
:lack of verification before medications administration :most of the patient safety issues are related to errors in medication administration.adequate verification before administration help to prevent medication errors.
:lack of patient engagement in their own care:it is important to engage patient in their own care to protect rights of patient and it help to provide safe health care to patients.
:lack of implementation of patient safety policies.
The unsafe practices in hospital
1)medication error :it is the most adverse events of unsafe practice and it is avoidable. This is the main cause of harm to the patient and it is extra burdens to patients and increasing cost of health care .
2)unsafe injection practices:unsafe injection practice lead to harm to the patient. It cause thromboembolism and phlebitis to the patient .the spreading of blood borne infection like HIV is via the unsafe injection practice .
3)unsafe surgical procedure :the incidents is high due to unsafe surgical procedure. The adverse events are immediately after surgery.
4)unsafe diagnostic procedure :it is also lead to direct harm to the patient .
5)poor environmental safety measures :unsafe environment is one of the major cause for patient injuries due to falls.
6)hospital acquired infection :this also a unsafe practices. Vigilant infection control practices can reduce these infection and ensure the safety of patient.
7)thromboembolism due to unsafe practices.
How to ensure patient safety
:maintaining safe environment ___the environment should be clean and free from pathogen and free from clutters. Cluttering environment cause accidental fall and cause injury.
:apply safety measures to prevent falls such as put side rails, patient safety alarms and patient safety label to identify the risk patient.
:recheck the medication before administration.
:good intepersonal and interprofessional communication help to prevent unsafe practices and improve patient safety.
:implantation of patient safety policies
:provide health care services by following standards of care.