Medical Error
The increasing number of deaths in American hospitals is mainly due to avoidable medical errors (Donaldson, Corrigan & Kohn, 2000). The most common problems during the provision of medical care are severe surgical injuries, inappropriate transfusions, and wrong-site surgery. The reading further states that the use of electronic information is significant in enhancing the safety of the sick. As such, I understand that patient security is paramount in the attainment of effective outcomes and building the image of the hospital.
My Stand on the Readings
Therefore, I agree with the reading that patient safety is significant in the attainment of improved outcomes. My stand is supported by the notion that knowledge sharing and incorporation of techniques such as the use of electronic health records (EHR) in the hospital settings help in enhancing patient security. The concepts assist in reducing cases of injuries and the time taken by the affected client in the health institution (Kurtzman & Fauteux, 2014). From the reading, I comprehend that the application of a patient-centered approach in the treatment of the sick in the patient family is involved in decision-making plays a role in promoting patient safety (QSEN Competencies, 2019). I concur with the idea since ineffective collaboration and communication among healthcare providers are some of the causes of medical errors (Sherwood & Zomorodi, 2014). As such, training nurses on the use of various medical equipment for patient safety decreases the level of staff injuries (Kennedy & Kopp, 2015). Similarly, the well-being of the sick is facilitated by the use of evidence practices to offer treatment.
From the reading, patient safety is important in reducing the number of hospital stays and achieving the effective outcomes. However, lack of communication and collaboration among the care providers enhances health mistakes, which result in additional medication costs. As such, the use of evidence-based practices and a patient-centered approach helps in improving the health outcome of the sick.
References
Donaldson, M. S., Corrigan, J. M., & Kohn, L. T. (Eds.). (2000). To err is human: Building a safer health system (Vol. 6). National Academies Press.
Kennedy, B., & Kopp, T. (2015). Safe patient handling protects employees too. Nursing2017, 45(8), 65-67.
Kurtzman, E. T., & Fauteux, N. (2014). Ten years after keeping patients safe: Have nurses’ work environments been transformed?
QSEN Competencies. (2019). Retrieved February 10, 2019, from http://qsen.org/competencies/pre-licensure-ksas/
Sherwood, G., & Zomorodi, M. (2014). A new mindset for quality and safety: The QSEN competencies redefine nurses’ roles in practice. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 41(1), 15-22.