N E W S & V I E W S
Issue 3 July-September 2011
Quality and Safety: The Positive Effect of Open Communication By: Christine Byerly, BSN, RNC-NIC, SCN II, NICU & Paul Thurman, MS, RN, ACNPC, CCNS, CCRN, CNRN, CNS, STC It is not characteristic for members of the healthcare team to delibconsecutively and/or concurrently so that one day, at one time, all erately decide, “Today I am going to make an error.” On the conthe “holes” line up and a serious event results.2 trary, medical professionals and healthcare leaders strive to provide a Open communication about errors promotes a transparent culture safe environment for our patients; one leading to the development of prothat is “error free”. However, death Swiss Cheese Model cesses and systems to enhance patient from medical errors ranks between the safety. Asking the question, “What Level of Defense 5th and 8th leading cause of death1. have we done to harm or almost harm When we reflect on errors, it is customa patient?” has changed patient care ary to find fault and blame the indiat UMMC. This question is posed at vidual. This “blame game” leads to an the beginning of all council and leadunder reporting of events. Most errors ership meetings within Patient Care do not occur in isolation. Instead, an Services. This process was initiated by error that one person makes will make Lisa Rowen, DNSc, RN, FAAN, Chief an impact on someone else. Nursing Officer. Errors are caused by faulty systems, Latent conditions: An example of the effectiveness of poor design, procedures, Active errors processes, and conditions that lead management decisions, etc. asking this question has occurred in (Patient safety incident) people to make mistakes or fail to prethe Staff Nurse Council, co-lead by vent them. A graphic example of this Dr. Rowen and Chris Byerly. From concept is depicted in the Swiss Cheese Model. In this model, when this question, numerous patient safety issues have been raised, such a combination as Alaris™ infusion pump malfunctions, missing medications, In This Issue... of latent condiOmnicell™ dispensing issues, inconsistent dose range checking tions and active Quality and Safety - The Positive Effect of Open Communication 1, 6 practices, and missing laboratory specimens. These issues would errors causes all Lisa Rowen’s Rounds 2 have never surfaced without staff speaking up and identifying the levels of defenses CODE STEMI: This is a Medical Emergency 3 problem. This led to the realization that these were system-wide to be breached, Moderate Sedation Simulation 4 problems involving more than one individual and prompted the a patient safety Professional Advancement Model 5 Staff Nurse Council to take further action. In collaboration with incident occurs. Biomedical Engineering, there is a new process in place for cleaning Along the Path to Advancement 5 When such inciinfusion pumps to prevent the identified error. A Lab Integration Commitment to Excellence 6 dents occur, it Team has been formed to educate nursing about how laboratory The First New Graduate Nurse Residency Projects 7 is uncommon results are obtained. The Pharmacy has implemented new processes Five Infection Prevention Practices That Matter 7 for any single for Omnicell™ dispensing and dose range checking. In addition, UMMC Nurses Organize Community Health Fair 8 action or “faila new pilot is starting in the Gudelsky tower to ensure delivery of ure” to be wholly Honorable Mention 9 medication to the correct storage location (i.e. patient bin, refrigeraresponsible. It Certification Corner 9 tor, medication cart) by a dedicated pharmacy technician. is far more likely Core Measures 10 In the 2005 study, “Silence Kills”, it was reported that 84 percent of that a series of Clinical Practice Update 11, 12 healthcare professionals observe colleagues take dangerous shortcuts seemingly minor We Discover 11 events all happen see Quality and Safety on page 6 News & Views
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