2005 National Patient Safety Goals
- Improve the accuracy of patient identification
- Use at least two patient identifiers (Name, SS#, Date of Birth) whenever
administering meds or blood products; taking blood samples and other specimens
for clinical testing, or providing treatments or procedures.
- Improve the effectiveness of communication among caregivers
- Always READ-BACK verbal or telephonic orders and critical test results to
verify.
- Standardize a list of abbreviations, acronyms and symbols that are not to
be used throughout the organization.
Write "every day" or "daily" - not qd!
- Improve the safety of using medications
- All concentrated electrolytes are removed from patient units.
- Standardize and limit the number of drug concentrations available.
- Identify look-alike/sound-alike drugs used and take action to prevent errors.
- Improve the safety of using infusion pumps
- Reduce the risk of health care associated infections
- Handwashing is key. Wash for 15 seconds with soap and water or use Alcare-palmful
of foam, spread over both hands up to 1/2 in. above wrist.
- When hands are visibly soiled use soap and water instead of Alcare.
- Manage all nosocomial infections that result in death as sentinel events.
- Accurately and completely reconcile medications across the continuum of care
- Upon admission, obtain a complete list of current medications.
- A complete list of patients medications is communicated to the next provider
of service when it refers or transfers a patient to another setting, level of
care, or physician.
- Reduce the risk of patient harm resulting from falls
- Assess and periodically reassess each patients risk for falling, including
the potential risk associated with the patients medication regimen, and take
action to address any identified risks.
