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We interviewed John Fields, RN, President of Maine Quality Solutions, to ask him about staying safe in the hospital. His advice could be a wake-up call to anyone facing a hospital stay.
Why has hospital safety become such a big issue?John Fields explains: The call to action was the study issued by the national Institute of Medicine several years ago ("To Err is Human" (www.iom.org)). That study reported close to 100,000 deaths in hospitals each year due to preventable mistakes. Hospitals today are very different from even 15 years ago. Most patients are sicker. Only the sickest of the sick are usually in hospitals. Care is given in rapid fire fashion to get them well enough to go home fast to keep costs down. And, often the medicines and procedures we use are much more complicated. This is a high speed, highly complex environment (just the type of set-up for mistakes). So what can patients do to stay safe in a fast-paced, complex system?John Fields explains: Patients need to take charge of their own safety in the hospital to a greater extent than they may realize. When you or a loved one is in the hospital, here's what you can do: 1. Make sure everyone caring for you knows who you are. This is not a joke. Make sure all caregivers check your wristband ID. If you have a common name, make sure you are the RIGHT person for the medicine or care you're about to get. 2. Make sure all care givers wash their hands before they touch you. Respectfully ask them about it and watch. This helps protect you from infections. 3. Ask about all medicines. If the medicines in the hospital don't look the same as what you take at home, say something about this. If the medicines you get in the afternoon look different from the medicines you got in the morning, speak up! There may be a good reason for this difference, but you need to ask. If you have a strange reaction after taking any medicines, say so! |
4. If you're going into the hospital for an operation or procedure that you have some choice about (such as knee surgery), ask your doctor ahead of time what you need to know to make an informed decision. With knee surgery, for example, you could ask about what's done to prevent infections and infection rates. You could ask about written guidelines for doctors and nurses to prevent blood clots, etc. Learn what you need to ask about and then talk with your doctor. This website can help. 5. If you are really sick and not up to the job of watching out for your safety, have a friend or family member stay with you to help. It seems like you are urging patients to take a lot of responsibility here. What should doctors and hospitals be doing about improving safety?John Fields explains: The culture of healthcare will not change unless patients demand that it change! So, I urge patients to speak up and to take part in their care. When it comes to doctors and hospitals, it's important that they give patients permission to speak up, to encourage them to work with us in improving safety. For example, patients at Central Maine Medical Center are given a booklet asking them to do this. (CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT CMMC TELLS PATIENTS) Doctors and other care givers should thank patients for bringing a safety issue to their attention, such as being sure to wash their hands. Safety is everyone's concern. All hospitals must also play a role by educating our doctors about safety practices. For example, it is important to show them the latest research about how to help prevent blood clots in patients. That's a big issue. Getting a blood clot isn't safe. How can patients deal with all this? After all, we're not doctors.John Fields explains: You don't need to be a doctor to understand parts of medicine! We all need to work together as a team (patients, doctors, other hospital staff) to prevent mistakes. There's a role for everyone here. It's YOUR body, it's YOUR illness. You have the right to know the risks you're running in a hospital. Partner with us in keeping you safe. |