Steady Wins!
What color wristband is often used to indicate a patient at high risk of falling?
YELLOW
One current issue in the institution is lack of proper communication between healthcare providers. A nurse receives a doctor’s order that is incomplete or not readable. What should the nurse do?
The nurse should clarify the order immediately with the prescribing physician before carrying it out. Never assume the meaning of an order.
What is the minimum number of patient identifiers required before administering care?
Two. Patient's full name and date of birth
During a busy shift, a new nurse is tempted to give medications to multiple patients in the same room at once. What is the safest approach?
A. Administer to each patient by confirming name and date of birth individually
B. Give medications based on bed order to save time
C. Ask a patient to verify the others’ identities
D. Only check wristbands for new patients
A. Administer to each patient by confirming name and date of birth individually
Name two types of personal protective equipment (PPE) commonly used in infection prevention.
Gloves and masks
Give at least 2 examples of automatic fall triggers
Obvious visual impairment
Balance/ gait problems
Use of assistive device
Pregnant women
Patients over 60 yrs old and under 12 yrs old
You receive a diagnostic request form that contains unclear instructions and incomplete patient information. What is the most appropriate action to take?
A. Proceed with the request using available information
B. Ask a colleague what the order usually means
C. Clarify the order with the requesting provider before proceeding
D. Delay the request until the next shift
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Clarifying unclear or incomplete orders prevents errors and supports effective communication.
Why is using the patient’s room number as an identifier discouraged?
Room numbers can change and may lead to misidentification or multiple patients may share a room
Why is reporting errors and near-misses encouraged in Just Culture?
It allows the organization to identify risks, improve processes, and prevent future harm without fear of unfair punishment.
What is the most effective way to prevent healthcare-associated infections?
Hand hygiene
What is the recommended time interval for reassessing fall risk in hospitalized patients?
Every shift or when there is a significant change in the patient's condition
You are assigned to transport a patient for an outpatient procedure and notice that the consent form is missing from the chart. What is the most appropriate action to take?
A. Transport the patient anyway since the procedure is routine
B. Ask the patient if they signed a consent form at the clinic
C. Notify the responsible nurse or provider and ensure the consent form is completed before transport
D. Proceed with transport and document the missing consent form
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Patient consent is a critical safety and legal requirement. Transporting a patient without proper consent violates patient safety protocols. The nurse must communicate with the responsible provider to ensure all documentation is complete before proceeding.
A nurse is about to administer medication to a patient but notices that the wristband is missing. What should the nurse do?
Verify the patient’s identity using another approved identifier before giving the medication.
A nurse reports a near-miss during patient handoff. The supervisor thanks them and analyzes how the error occurred. What does this exemplify?
Just Culture. It encourages reporting, learning, and improving systems rather than blaming the staff member.
It's okay to use hand sanitizers and alcohol for visibly soiled hands and after using the comfort room. True or False?
False
Do we still need to remind patients identified as low risk for fall on the safety precautions and assist if needed?
YES
Fall risk can change quickly (fatigue, pain meds, dizziness, new IV lines, unfamiliar environment).
“Low risk” does not mean no risk.
Patients often overestimate their ability and may not ask for help.
Education is a standard safety responsibility, not limited to high-risk patients.
One feature of effective communication in patient safety is verifying the physician’s orders before performing any procedure. What is the best practice in this situation?
A. Perform the procedure if you are familiar with the patient’s usual care
B. Verify the physician’s written order and clarify any unclear instructions before proceeding
C. Ask another nurse to interpret the order for you
D. Proceed with the procedure and document any discrepancies afterward
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Verifying the physician’s written order ensures that the procedure is accurate, safe, and in compliance with hospital policy, reducing the risk of errors due to assumptions or incomplete information.
When do we verify the identification of a patient?
Before giving any service or treatment to the patient.
What are the potential consequences of failing to correctly identify a patient in a healthcare setting?
WRONG MEDICATION
MISDIAGNOSIS
WRONG PROCEDURES/TREATMENT
PROCEDURE/TREATMENT DELAYS
LOSS OF TRUST
What is the "5 Moments for Hand Hygiene" guideline?
Before patient contact, before aseptic tasks, after body fluid exposure, after patient contact, after contact with the patient’s surroundings
TRUE or FALSE
The monitoring of patient fall risk occurs during every shift and is recorded using the fall monitoring form.
TRUE
A healthcare staff member is assigned to perform a procedure in a patient’s room. After reviewing the chart and confirming the scheduled procedure, the staff enters the room and observes that the patient has several unfamiliar medical devices or attachments in place. What is the most appropriate action the staff should take?
A. Proceed with the procedure as ordered to avoid delays.
B. Remove any equipment that appears unnecessary before starting the procedure.
C. Leave the room without doing anything and report back later.
D. Pause, seek assistance from the nurse-in-charge
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Pausing and seeking assistance ensures patient safety. Unfamiliar devices may affect the procedure or the patient’s stability. Proceeding or removing equipment without guidance could cause harm. Effective communication with the nurse-in-charge or responsible provider is critical to clarify the situation before performing the procedure
A nurse is preparing to draw blood from a patient. Which action demonstrates compliance with Identifying Patients Correctly?
A. Asking the patient, “Are you Dingdong?” and proceeding
B. Verifying the patient’s name and date of birth against the wristband and charge slip
C. No need to verify since I have already established rapport with the patient.
D. Asking another nurse which patient is in the room
B. Verifying the patient’s name and date of birth against the wristband and charge slip
A patient is unable to speak or respond due to intubation. How should the nurse verify the patient’s identity?
Check the wristband and verify against the chart or procedure order
A nurse notices a near-miss medication error. What is the recommended action in a Just Culture environment?
Report it in the incident reporting system to prevent future harm