Proven Ideas to Improve Patient Safety
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality published a research product that suggested proven ways to improve patient safety. Here were the best methods (strongly encouraged) from the study:
- Preoperative checklists and anesthesia checklists to prevent operative and post-operative events.
- Bundles that include checklists to prevent central line-associated bloodstream infections.
- Interventions to reduce urinary catheter use, including catheter reminders, stop orders, or nurse-initiated removal protocols.
- Bundles that include head-of-bed elevation, sedation vacations, oral care with chlorhexidine, and subglottic-suctioning endotracheal tubes to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia.
- Hand hygiene.
- “Do Not Use” list for hazardous abbreviations.
- Multicomponent interventions to reduce pressure ulcers.
- Barrier precautions to prevent healthcare-associated infections.
- Use of real-time ultrasound for central line placement.
- Interventions to improve prophylaxis for venous thromboembolisms.
For the complete study, see:
http://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/evidence-based-reports/ptsafetyII-full.pdf
