Patient Safety Flashcards
Who has the responsibility over patient safety?
Clinician (and dental student)
Describe 3 things a patient must be to have ability to safely receive treatment
- Medically fit
- Capacity
- Consent
Describe best practice with regards to patient safety
- Try to avoid adverse incidents
- Get help from supervisor promptly
- Be open with patients
- Ensure notes are written in detail recording incident
- Reporting systems with IR1 forms
Describe the issue with a clinician accidentally sticking a LA needle in themselves following giving it to a patient
Clinician could potentially get infected with patient blood which may contain BBV
Describe what happens next following a clinician accidentally sticking a LA needle in themselves following giving it to a patient
- First aid measures
- Inform supervisor and patients
- Complete treatment if possibly
- Complete necessary Sharps paperwork / Occupational health
- IR1 form
Describe how the issue with a clinician accidentally sticking a LA needle in themselves following giving it to a patient could be prevented
Better awareness, retraction of soft tissues and care while giving LA
Describe the issue with a clinician accidentally embedding bur in soft mucosa while carrying out a restoration
- Emergency situation
- Patient has a foreign body embedded in their mucosa
Describe what happens next following a clinician accidentally embedding bur in soft mucosa while carrying out a restoration
- Stop what you are doing
- Retrieve the bur if safe
- Immediately seek help from supervisor
- Inform and reassure patient
- Temporise and postpone treatment
- Complete detailed notes recording what happened
- IR1 form, reflect and learn and review patient
Describe how the issue where a clinician accidentally embedding bur in soft mucosa while carrying out a restoration may be prevented
- Better awareness, retraction and care while drilling
- Have good communication to allow the breaks if they need to close up their mouth
Describe the issue with a bur becoming dislodged into the patient’s mouth and could not be found
- Equipment has gone missing and cannot be found
- Could be aspirated by patient into lungs
- Emergency situation
Describe what happens next following a bur becoming dislodged into the patient’s mouth and could not be found
- Stop immediately and call over supervisor
- Inform patient
- Search for missing bur (floor / suction)
- Complete treatment if possible
- If bur cannot be found need to go to A+E for chest x-ray
- Complete detailed notes recording what happened
- IR1 form, reflect and learn and review patient
Describe how a bur becoming dislodged into the patient’s mouth and could not be found may be prevented
Ensure the bur is securely seated in the handpiece
Describe how patient’s soft tissues can be protected
Retraction, appropriate light sources and protection with visor / bib
Name 4 ways retraction can be achieved
- Cotton wool rolls placed buccally
- Fast suction used
- Mirror used
- Rubber dam isolated teeth
Describe 3 basic potential hazards with regards to soft tissue damage in a dental surgery
- Soflex discs and pogos can cause serious tissue damage
- Grazing arm against burs in holder
- Leads on the floor are potential trip hazard