Involve Patients in Safety Initiatives

​Patients and their families can provide another layer of defense against adverse events, and in fact they are often the best sources of information. Not only do patients and families feel valued when they are involved in safety checks and multidisciplinary rounds, but their questions and comments often indicate possible errors. Staff members should always take patients and their families very seriously.

 

Tips

  • Invite patients and families to take part in multidisciplinary rounds and ask for their comments.
  • Include patients and families as partners to monitor for compliance with safe practices (e.g., they can make sure no one administers medication without verifying the patient identification).
  • Establish a practice of stopping and re-verifying a medication, test, or intervention any time a patient or family member asks whether it is correct.
  • Recruit patients and family members to patient safety committees.

 

first last

  • Computerize Medication Administration Records
    A computerized system that generates medication administration records and registers all doses administered makes medical information available to all clinical personnel who need it.
  • Develop a Culture of Safety
    In a culture of safety, people are not merely encouraged to work toward change; they take action when it is needed.
  • Involve Patients in Medication Checks
    Patients can be a last line of defense against adverse drug events, so it makes sense to involve them in the verification of medications before administration.
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