Have you ever used a knife to cut a pill? What harm can it do, right? It turns out you should *always* use a pill cutter and wear gloves to cut pills to make sure the patient is getting the right dose and no one else is exposed to the medication.
Advance directives are important because they help make sure someone’s wishes are carried out even when they may not be able to speak for themself. There are a few different kinds of advance directives: living will, durable power of attorney, physician orders for life-sustaining treatment, and do not resuscitate order.
Other advance directives include ventilation (mechanical breathing), tube feeding, palliative (comfort) care, and organ donation. You have the right to decide which, if any, of these things you want.
Download, read, and share 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵’𝘴 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯, a handbook to help patients better understand their healthcare and help providers better understand their patients: https://patientsafety.pa.gov/handbook
Download, read, and share 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵’𝘴 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯, a handbook to help patients better understand their healthcare and help providers better understand their patients: https://patientsafety.pa.gov/handbook
Many people are nervous to see their doctor for lots of reasons: fear of needles, fear of being unable to pay their bill, fear of hearing bad news. Talk to your doctor if you’re feeling anxious. You shouldn’t let feeling afraid keep you from getting the care you need.
Not all news is going to be good. But bad news today could be worse news next month.
You might feel nervous about getting a second opinion, but it’s very common in medicine! This is especially true after a big diagnosis like cancer or if your doctor suggests a major operation. Would you buy a car without considering all your options? You would do your homework and make sure you choose the best one for you.
Just because two doctors disagree, that doesn’t mean one is right and one is wrong. Sometimes, you just need to make your decision based on things like how long it will take you to get better, what kind of ongoing care you might need, or how much it costs.
This #PatientSafetyAwarenessWeek, download, read, and share 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵’𝘴 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯, a handbook to help patients better understand their healthcare and help providers better understand their patients: https://patientsafety.pa.gov/handbook
This #PatientSafetyAwarenessWeek, download, read, and share 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵’𝘴 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯, a handbook to help patients better understand their healthcare and help providers better understand their patients: https://patientsafety.pa.gov/handbook
A “medical record” is also called a patient chart. It keeps track of all the information about your health, such as your medical history, medications you take, and other things your care team needs to know about you. It is very important for everything in your chart to be correct, so ask your nurse or doctor for a copy and let them know if you find a mistake. Many health systems also have a “patient portal” that lets you check your medical record from a phone or computer.
The 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿’𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 goes to 𝗡𝗶𝗸𝗸𝗶 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗸𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 at AHN-Forbes. This team addressed a safety risk with patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pumps by initiating a network-level project that led to a new, improved, and standardized PCA order set, standardized drug library and epidural orders, and a networkwide equipment upgrade.
Congratulations and thank you for your commitment to patient safety. Look for more about their achievements soon on our website and social media. #IAPS2024
The 𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 goes to 𝗗𝗿. 𝗠𝗼𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮, 𝗗𝗿. 𝗞𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻, 𝗗𝗿. 𝗔𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗿. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝘇𝗮𝗱 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗸𝗵 at Geisinger Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Scranton. A grateful family credits them with getting their soccer-playing daughter back on her feet and onto the field after she sustained multiple, serious injuries over five years. Their compassionate care and expertise enabled her to heal and play—and help her team bring home conference and district titles.
Congratulations and thank you for your commitment to patient safety. Look for more about their achievements soon on our website and social media. #IAPS2024
The 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 goes to the Patients at Risk (PAR) committee members at Providence Point: 𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶, DON; 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗱𝗮 𝗡𝘂𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗰, ADON; 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗮 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, Social Service; 𝗝𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗲, Social Service; 𝗦𝘂𝘇𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘆, RNAC; 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗵 𝗟𝗲𝘂𝗰𝗵, Medical Records; 𝗝𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗿, Dietician; 𝗗𝗝 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, AIT; 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗸, RN, Infection Prevention; and 𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿, Therapy.
This team met weekly and proactively identified residents at risk using analytical data derived from clinical software. Due to their ongoing efforts in identifying, planning, educating, and coaching, in less than a year the facility achieved zero falls, zero urinary tract infections, and no new antipsychotics administered.
Congratulations and thank you for your commitment to patient safety. Look for more about their achievements soon on our website and social media. #IAPS2024
The 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 goes to 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗻, DO, 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗷𝘆𝗼𝘁 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗵, DO, 𝗡𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘁𝗼𝘀 𝗭𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗮𝘀, DO, 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗶𝘀, MD, MA, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗹𝘆𝗻 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴, MS, RT, at Jefferson Health - Northeast Torresdale Hospital. This team updated and integrated various calculators for guidelines, scores, and assessments into the ED’s workflow and the electronic medical record throughout the health system.
Congratulations and thank you for your commitment to patient safety. Look for more about their achievements soon on our website and social media. #IAPS2024
The 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲-𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 goes to the 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘆, Jefferson Health - Abington. In response to a wrong-site surgery, the Department is revising its time-out policy to add a second/subsequent time-out when a change in surgical modality occurs. This second time-out may be considered time-consuming; however, the team believes it is the right thing to do for patients and an innovative solution to a low-volume, high-risk challenge.
Congratulations and thank you for your commitment to patient safety. Look for more about their achievements soon on our website and social media. #IAPS2024
The 𝗔𝗺𝗯𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 goes to 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 Reading Hospital - Tower Health 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲, who made it their mission to prevent future wrong-patient, -implant, -side, and -site surgery errors. Their efforts, including education and encouraging staff to speak up with concerns, improved surgeon engagement rate in time-out from 83% to 92%.
Congratulations and thank you for your commitment to patient safety. Look for more about their achievements soon on our website and social media. #IAPS2024
The 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 goes to 𝗗𝗮𝘄𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗻, patient care technician, and 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗠𝗰𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲, patient safety associate, at Jefferson Health - Northeast Torresdale Hospital. They built a rapport with a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia who was experiencing complications that led to behavioral outbursts and socially inappropriate behavior. This connection proved crucial in providing the patient with comfort and redirection.
Congratulations and thank you for your commitment to patient safety. Look for more about their achievements soon on our website and social media. #IAPS2024
The 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 goes to 𝗖𝗿𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗸𝗼𝘃𝘀𝗸𝘆, CCRN, at UPMC Hamot, who led the initiative to introduce a sepsis alert and developed a sepsis screening tool and checklist, as well as a committee to focus on active staff participation as sepsis coaches and champions who provide education to clinical and medical staff on sepsis, early recognition, and proper and timely treatment.
Congratulations and thank you for your commitment to patient safety. Look for more about her achievements soon on our website and social media. #IAPS2024
The 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 goes to the 𝗢𝗕/𝗡𝗲𝘄𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲 at UPMC Hamot. After an undiagnosed brain bleed led to a newborn’s death, the committee reviewed the errors contributing to it and implemented process improvements, including education and an observation tool, and shared the story with other newborn facilities for awareness and education to prevent this event from recurring.
Congratulations and thank you for your commitment to patient safety. Look for more about their achievements soon on our website and social media. #IAPS2024
We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 I AM Patient Safety Achievement Awards! Judges selected 10 individuals and teams from 130 nominations. Follow along as we post the awardees in each category all afternoon, and join us in sharing and celebrating their stories.
First up: The 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 goes to the 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘀 𝗡𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. This program has seasoned, often retired registered nurses supporting the bedside nursing staff in reviewing and delivering discharge instructions directly to patients. These safety champions have documented over 215 near miss events related to discharge instruction errors.
Congratulations and thank you for your commitment to patient safety. Look for more about their achievements soon on our website and social media. #IAPS2024
Do you have a manuscript related to patient safety? Send it to our award-winning journal and it could be read by 75K+ people worldwide. Accepted articles now are published on a rolling basis as soon as production has been completed. There are NO FEES for authors or readers. patientsafetyj.com
I AM Patient Safety nominations 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄! This is your last chance to recognize special people who have shown their commitment to patient safety and share their story: https://patientsafety.pa.gov/NewsAndInformation/Brochures/Pages/IAPS_2023_homepage.aspx
If you’ve already begun a nomination in our submission portal, make sure to complete and submit it by at 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, December 16. If you still want to nominate someone, time's running out!
This is #MedSafetyWeek, on the theme of “Who can report?” Learn how patients and healthcare workers can contribute to pharmacovigilance by reporting side effects and adverse drug reactions:
The Patient Safety Authority’s multiple award–winning, peer-reviewed journal has more than 75K readers in 174 countries—and counting! Every article is free to read and there are no author fees for submissions. Read the journal at patientsafetyj.com and send us your best work for publication.
PATIENT SAFETY is currently open to research articles, quality improvement studies, focused reviews, patient perspectives, commentaries, data analyses, and other manuscripts that can help advance safety in healthcare.
