What can my colleagues and I do to avoid making errors or make errors less likely to occur?
Learning about human factors and reliable design can be an excellent start. This knowledge can help you recognize error traps and understand remedies for the weak step or process. For example, processes that require you to remember complex, critical information (i.e., processes for which the only path to improvement is to "try harder"), lack reliability and are prone to failure.
It is also important that you know yourself, your vulnerabilities and stresses. Events outside of the clinical setting have an obvious impact on our performance, whether it is the illness of a family member, relationship problems, or a baby who cried through the night. Learning to ask for assistance when tired or distracted is very important in keeping both your patients and yourself safe and effective. Knowing yourself and asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Listening to patients and family members — the experts concerning their health and history — can help keep everyone safe. If you ever find yourself delivering a medication that the patient or family does not recognize, take the time to listen and double check the medication. If you are prescribing a medication for hypertension and the patient reminds you that they are on other "heart medications," stop and check their medication history for accuracy. Patients and family members are often, if not usually, right and can help prevent error from occurring.
Related Courses/Lessons
PS 102: Human Factors and Safety
PS 103: Teamwork and Communication
QI 101: Fundamentals of Improvement
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