How To Improve Patient Safety In Healthcare Centers

By Maryellen Lamb


Medical practitioners such as doctors, surgeons, nurses and other healthcare givers have been alarmed by the recent upsurge HAI (Healthcare-Associated Infections). What this means is that patients get infected by other diseases while they are in the hospital to be treated. It is for this reason that hospitals and other healthcare institutions are making deliberate efforts in trying to improve patient safety.

According to statistics from Department of health, the situation is not good at all. The stats state that one out of ten patients admitted to a health facility is likely to contract HAI. This person also stays three times longer in the hospital than an ordinary patient. What it means is that they get to pay more money for their healthcare. Also, staying in hospital longer stops them from attending to their daily chores.

It is for this reason that the concept of safety for patients has gained popularity. As a result, medical facilities have been pressured to provide environments that protect their patients from HAI. Therefore, major health institutions have embarked on deliberate efforts to curb the situation that is threatening to be rampant.

Doctors have discovered that a simple way of keeping tabs on healthcare-associated infections is by controlling the occurrence of VTE (Venous Thromboembolism). The condition may sometimes cause serious discomfort but no major complications. However, it is known to be very dangerous at times and is considered one of the leading causes of easily preventable deaths in healthcare institutions.

The other way of dealing with these infections is through timelines and goals, which help medical practitioners to stay focused. Also, it enables them to maintaining high levels of communication during the time of treatment. It includes first agreeing on the general goals. The goals need to be adequately aggressive to sanction a shift in design. Setting goals from the onset is important because it helps in minimizing cases of HAI.

Patient education regarding the proper use of blood thinners is also very important in curbing this menace. It is a common practice for patients who have been operated to be given new blood thinner prescriptions. The importance of blood thinners is that they help patients from being attacked with dangerous clots. However, improper use of these can be catastrophic in that they will tend to develop uncontrollable bleeding. When this happens, drug event may follow.

With proper education on how they can correctly use the blood thinners, these cases can be reduced. Teaching is done by way of video lessons coupled with a booklet. These will ensure that patients understand what they will be expecting when they take these medicines.

Shortening the shifts of medical staffs is another simple yet effective way of controlling the healthcare-associated infections. Fatigued medical staffs tend to make more mistakes. There is need to ensure that for those working on thirty-hour shifts, they attend to patients only during 16 hours, sandwiched by a 5-hour sleep period. Following these measures will surely enhance patient safety in healthcare institutions.




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