People around the globe observed Patient Safety Awareness Week in creative ways. Here are just a few examples to inspire others:
United States
Idaho
Kootenai Health, based in Coeur D'Alene, recognized staff had a recent "Good Catch" with Swedish Fish and Goldfish prizes. The team also hosted a viewing party for the IHI free Virtual Learning Hour and a screening of a patient safety documentary, and held a Safety Fair and poster contest. To promote the event, images of staff and quotes from staff and patients were placed on cafe tables.
Illinois
Deaconess Health System, based in Evansville, had a number of activities planned, including a bulletin board competition through which departments could show their "patient safety destination" (hand washing, fall reduction, etc.). They also gave "Speak Up" awards, chosen through peer nominations and awarded to staff who speak up to advocate and keep their patients' safe. A life-sized cut-out of their patient safety mascot, Safety Sam, conveyed patient safety messages throughout the week. The team planned to share the results of the competitions and the creative efforts at the organization's Safety Ambassador Committee meeting, Patient Safety Committee, Leadership Meeting, and on the hospital's internal webpage.
Montana
Community Medical Center in Missoula planned to do a safety display highlighting the five patient incident posters that are displayed on the organization's website. They were to be displayed with safety behaviors used in the institution and a list of Safety Champions for the past year. The team also planned to provide a suggestion box for ways to make the hospital safer, and had a room occupied by "Miss Mayhem," with a prize for a person who identified all of the safety issues in the room. Staff were able to sign a huge copy of a Pledge Poster as they entered the display. The poster will be moved from one department to another at intervals during the coming year as a reminder to staff about patient safety.
New Jersey
Centrastate Medical Center in Freehold planned to display banners prominently at the main hospital entrances. The team also created trivia activities to test staff knowledge of patient safety, with opportunities throughout the week to be entered into drawings for gift cards. They ended the week with a complimentary ice cream treat for staff.
Texas
Dell Seton Medical Center, in collaboration with UT Austin Dell Medical School, hosted a series of interactive talks from local experts to highlight safety culture. Among the topics were health equity, patient experience, wellness, costs of care, and an interprofessional happy hour.
International
Armenia
Zaruhi Bagiyan of Do Not Harm, a health care-related NGO based in Yerevan, reports that the organization created a series of videos about patient safety to be shared on their website and on social media.
Chile
Red de Salud UC CHRISTUS, located in Santiago de Chile, marked its sixth Patient Safety Awareness Week with activities like leadership roundings, challenging teams to develop ideas about patient safety and share them on a public whiteboard and a photography competition, "Safety in Images." The staff also took an annual patient safety survey, and held an International Conference of Patient Safety and Quality. Activities were aimed at engaging clinical and not clinical staff alike.
England
Rebecca Wilkins of Frenchay Brain Injury Unit in Bristol, England, reported that the organization was planning to hold a series of themed awareness days to demonstrate what the organization does to keep patients safe. Themes included clinical observations, falls prevention, swallowing awareness, sepsis/DVT prevention, and infection control.
Guam
Michael Khan reported that Guam Regional Medical City had a themed event for each day of Patient Safety Awareness Week, from poster presentations on fall prevention to a "room of horrors" and awards for "Good Catch" submissions.
Ireland
In Kildare, Rotunda Hospital, a stand-alone maternity hospital, held a series of initiatives aimed at staff and patients to promote patient safety. They included a display of patient safety projects that have made a real impact on patient care, a patient information booth informing patients of what the hospital does to keep them safe and advising them of what they can do to help staff to keep them safe. The finale was short presentations from multidisciplinary staff comprising patient safety themes.
Saudi Arabia
At King Fahad Hospital Hofuf, Saudi Minstry of Health, Jawaher Al Hemaid, Director of Quality & Patient Safety publicly shared stories and lessons learned from five incidents reported during the second quarter of 2019 via their reporting system. The incidents ranged from inappropriate patient identification to incorrect drug dispensed (look-alike, sound alike). The incidents were analyzed by the Quality & Patient Safety Team and the relevant departments to prevent recurrence. By making them public, they hoped others could learn and benefit.