Patient Assessment
This term in the IPASS framework refers to evaluating how sick the patient is and their code status
What is Illness Severity?
This list includes tasks such as labs, medications, consults, and the plan of care that need to be completed for the patient.
What is the Action List?
This standardized tool is used to identify patients at increased risk for falling.
What is a fall risk assessment?
Introducing yourself and explaining your role helps establish this at the bedside.
What is trust?
This includes recent events or changes in condition that may affect the patient’s care.
What is situational awareness?
During bedside safety rounds, you do this to introduce the oncoming RN, update the whiteboard, and assess the environment.
What is standing at the bedside?
This term refers to the process of ensuring all healthcare providers are aware of the patient’s current diagnosis and treatment plan.
What is Care Coordination?
Calling this before getting out of bed is a key safety step for high fall‑risk patients.
What is the call light?
This practice involves including the patient when discussing care and plans during handoff.
What is bedside communication?
This IPASS component focuses on what could go wrong or what the team should be prepared for.
What is contingency planning?
These three aspects are evaluated during the clinical portion of the handoff: how sick the patient is, their current diagnosis, and potential issues or interventions.
What are Illness Severity, Patient Summary, and Situational Awareness?
This step in the IPASS framework involves discussing potential issues, family involvement, and recent events to ensure smooth communication among providers.
What is Situational Awareness?
These environmental hazards should be cleared from patient rooms to help prevent falls.
What are clutter and cords on the floor?
Asking patients to repeat information in their own words helps confirm this.
What is understanding?
Changes such as abnormal vital signs, new symptoms, or test results should be communicated as this during handoff.
What are recent events?
These three physical conditions are assessed inside the room to evaluate the patient’s status.
What are IV, oxygen (O2), and skin integrity?
This is the process where the oncoming RN confirms their understanding of the patient’s care needs and takes responsibility for completing the plan of care.
What is Synthesis?
Yellow socks, wristbands, and door signs are commonly used to indicate this patient status.
What is fall risk?
This is the best first step when a patient expresses a concern or fear about their care.
What is active listening?
Involving these individuals in care discussions can improve safety and early identification of concerns.
Who are patients and families?
This step in the IPASS framework involves the oncoming RN reflecting their understanding of the patient’s care needs and taking responsibility for completing required actions.
What is Synthesis?
This action is taken to ensure the patient understands their plan of care and discharge instructions, often using the teach-back method.
What is Explain and Confirm?
This safety protocol includes locking beds and wheelchairs to prevent unexpected movement.
What is ensuring equipment is in a locked position?
Patients are encouraged to ask these three things to stay engaged in their care: What is happening, why it’s happening, and this final question.
What should I expect next?
Clearly sharing what to watch for and what actions to take if a problem arises supports this IPASS safety practice.
What is anticipating and planning for potential changes?