Ch. 4 Health Care Quality & Safety Terms Flashcards
Tall man lettering
the practice of writing part of a drug’s name in upper case letters to help distinguish sound-alike, look-alike drugs from one another in order to avoid medication errors
Main Purpose of Incident Report Involving Client
The main purpose of incident reports is to provide data that can lead to systems improvements. Incident reports are not included in clients’ health records and they are not completed anonymously. The purpose of an incident report is not for the nurse to justify her response to an adverse incident.
Best way to promote client safety
Regular assessment and early detection of changes in the client’s status are critical in preventing adverse outcomes. Informatics and therapeutic relationships are appropriate, and important, aspects of care but frequent assessment is paramount. Assigning the client to an easily accessible room is not a guarantee of frequent assessment.
Who analyzes incident reports?
The hospital’s health and safety committee
Incident reports are primarily used by internal safety review boards. State boards of nursing are not privy to them. They are not submitted to OSHA under most circumstances. The client’s primary care provider would be made aware of the incident, but this person is not the ultimate recipient of the report
Normal Hemoglobin Range
13.8 - 17.2
Use of a Checklist
a useful tool that serves as a prompt, as well as creating accountability for the care that is provided
When should the Joint Commission be informed?
when the situation is an acute threat to safety
When are care bundles generally used?
for more complex and multidimensional aspects of care.
QSEN competency
The QSEN model specifies the integration of best current evidence with clinical expertise, along with client and family preferences and values, for delivery of optimal health care. Researching current practices for prevention of the spread of infection demonstrates this competency. Working with others to provide care demonstrates collaboration of care. The nurse manager holding an in-service demonstrates education of the staff. Use of computer-generated plans for client care demonstrates the use of nursing informatics
Reporting Near Misses
Near misses must be reported so that systems improvements can be made and weaknesses identified. It is not sufficient to address this verbally or in a debriefing session, though these may be supplementary responses. There is no obvious need for the two clients to interact with each other
What would prevent errors and enhance safety when it comes to the administration of drugs?
A major contributor to medication errors is interruptions during the medication administration process
eliminating interruptions to nurses while they are preparing medications
Which action is most likely a violation of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations?
Excessive manual lifting is a violation of OSHA regulations
Just Culture
an approach to error evaluation that examines the nature of the error in order to assist in determining the appropriate response to the individual who made the error. Documentation, support, and the needs of the client do not determine whether this action was just
What is the most appropriate response if a nurse notices a change in a dosage of medicine for her patient?
Changes in dosage are common in all health care settings, and do not necessarily signal an error. However, it is the nurse’s responsibility to ensure that a change has in fact been ordered. The health record will include this change, and personal contact with the care provider is not normally necessary.
Which action is most likely to prevent adverse incidents?
Ensure clear, accurate communication between each of the team members.
Evidence suggests that poor communication contributes to approximately 66% of health care errors; the importance of high-quality communication is heightened during an urgent event
