Patient Safety Basics
What is the nurse’s primary concern when caring for any patient?
Patient Safety
Name two common hospital-related safety hazards.
What are falls, electrical injuries, fires, burns, or poisoning?
When should a fall risk assessment be completed?
What is upon admission and with any change in condition?
Who is responsible for assessing a patient’s fall risk?
What is the registered nurse (RN)?
What organization sets national patient safety goals?
What is The Joint Commission (TJC)?
Name two goals for nurses related to patient safety.
What are ensuring a safe environment and helping patients feel safe?
What should a nurse check to make sure a patient can easily call for help?
What is the call light system?
Name one group at high risk for falls.
What are older adults, the very young, or post-surgery patients?
Give one task that can be delegated to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP).
What is helping patients ambulate or ensuring call light access?
How often does TJC release patient safety goals?
What is annually?
Safety in nursing includes freedom from what two things?
What are injury and hazards?
What is a nurse’s first action when discovering a safety hazard on the unit?
What is report and remove the hazard or alert maintenance?
Give one example of an environmental fall precaution.
What is keeping the bed low, pathway clear, or using non-skid footwear?
Name one piece of safety information the nurse should stress when delegating.
What is patient’s mobility limits or environmental safety facts?
Define a sentinel event.
What is a safety event resulting in death, permanent, or severe temporary harm?
In addition to the hospital, where else must nurses promote patient safety?
What is the community setting?
Name one example of workplace violence the nurse should be alert to.
What is a patient or visitor acting aggressively?
What should you do if a patient begins to fall during ambulation?
What is ease them to the floor or chair and call the nurse?
List one thing UAPs should do when a patient starts to fall.
What is ease to the ground and alert the nurse immediately?
Give one example of a sentinel event.
What is a medication error or a treatment error causing death?
List two psychological threats to patient safety.
What are fear and anxiety (or stress and confusion)?
Nurses protect not only patients but who else in the healthcare environment?
What are visitors and other members of the health care team?
Name three factors from the fall assessment tool that increase risk.
What are any of: history of falls, unsteady gait, medications, altered mental status, dizziness, or IV lines?
What are three environmental safety rules UAPs should follow?
What are keep bed locked and low, keep path clear, ensure lighting?
What must facilities do when a sentinel event occurs?
What is report it to TJC, review it, and create a plan for improvement?