BHA FPX 4004 Assessment 1 Address a Patient Safety Issue

Student Name

Capella University

BHA-FPX4004 Patient Safety and Quality Improvement in Health Care

Prof. Name:

Date

Addressing Patient Safety Issues

In this paper, I will identify a patient safety concern and explore its impact on patient safety. Additionally, I will assess the risks this concern poses to healthcare organizations if left unaddressed. Lastly, I will analyze the roles of patient safety officers and how recommendations from regulatory agencies contribute to enhancing patient safety.

Identifying and Describing the Issue

The patient safety concern I have chosen to discuss is Patient Identification Error. This issue places patients in preventable situations that can adversely affect their treatment, medication, or recovery processes. Patient Safety Officer Kyra Dailey conducts daily rounds across various hospital departments to ensure consistent implementation of patient care policies aimed at reducing safety incidents and ensuring optimal healthcare delivery. During her rounds, Kyra observed two patients with identical names in rooms on the same unit, which increased the likelihood of a patient identification error. Despite efforts such as separate nursing assignments and documentation, the risk remains significant (Thomas & Evans, 2004).

Applying Safety Measures

To mitigate patient identification errors, healthcare facilities should actively involve patients in their care and implement annual staff education reforms (Leape et al., 2009). Staff should verify patient identities using multiple identifiers, such as wristbands, charts, medication bags, or labels. Additionally, confirming patient information verbally and engaging patients throughout their stay can help prevent errors. Regulatory agencies like The Joint Commission (TJC) emphasize the importance of improving patient identification processes, recommending the use of two patient identifiers as standard practice (Clancy, 2005).

Role of Regulatory Agencies

TJC conducts safety inspections every three years to ensure compliance with safety standards and encourages organizations to excel in providing high-quality care (Clancy, 2005). Their focus on improving patient identification processes aligns with efforts to reduce medical errors and enhance patient safety. Regulatory agencies play a crucial role in promoting quality improvement initiatives within healthcare organizations (Clancy, 2005).

Patient Safety Officer’s Role

Patient Safety Officers (PSOs) are vital in identifying and addressing safety concerns within healthcare organizations. They act as liaisons between frontline staff, patients, and management, facilitating the development and implementation of policies to enhance patient safety (Denham, 2007). As a PSO, addressing patient identification errors involves collaborating with management to formulate action plans and implement hospital-wide policies to prevent misidentifications.

Conclusion

Patient Safety Officers play a crucial role in addressing safety concerns in healthcare settings. By adhering to recommended safety measures and collaborating with regulatory agencies, healthcare organizations can improve patient safety and the quality of care. Preventing patient identification errors requires a multifaceted approach involving staff education, regular monitoring, and policy implementation.

References

Bryant, M. (2016). Patient mix-ups a major drain on hospital revenues, physician productivity. Healthcare Dive. https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/patient-mix-ups-a-major-drain-on-hospital-revenues-physician-productivity/432307/

Clancy, C. M. (2005). AHRQ quality and safety initiatives. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 31(6), 354–356. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1553-7250(05)31047-6

Cunningham, B. (2012). Positive patient identification begins at step one. Health Management Technology, 33(8), 10-11. http://library.capella.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.proquest.com%2Fdocview%2F1034737789%3Faccountid%3D27965

De Rezende, H., Melleiro, M., & Shimoda, G. (2019). Interventions to reduce patient identification errors in the hospital setting. JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, 17(1), 37–42. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBISRIR-2017-003895