Patient Safety: A Deep Concern to Caregivers

Abstract

Patient safety is a global concern and is the most important domains of health-care quality. Medical error is a major patient safety concern, causing increase in health-care cost due to mortality, morbidity, or prolonged hospital stay. A definition for patient safety has emerged from the health care quality movement that is equally abstract, with various approaches to the more concrete essential components. Patient safety was defined by the IOM as “the prevention of harm to patients.” Emphasis is placed on the system of care delivery that prevents errors; learns from the errors that do occur; and is built on a culture of safety that involves health care professionals, organizations, and patients. Patient safety culture is a complex phenomenon. Patient safety culture assessments, required by international accreditation organizations, allow healthcare organizations to obtain a clear view of the patient safety aspects requiring urgent attention, identify the strengths and weaknesses of their safety culture, help care giving units identify their existing patient safety problems, and benchmark their scores with other hospitals.
 
 Article Type: Commentary

Knowledge and Practice of Nurses Regarding Safety of Patients with Temporary Cardiac Pacemakers in the Critical Care Units

“…Medication errors cost an estimated 42 billion USD annually. Clear policies, organizational leadership capacity, data to drive safety improvements, skilled health care professionals and effective involvement of patients in their care, are all needed to ensure sustainable and significant improvements in the safety of health care (Mohiuddin, 2019).…”

Development of Smart Clothing to Prevent Pressure Injuries in Bedridden Persons and/or with Severely Impaired Mobility: 4NoPressure Research Protocol

“…PIs are a major concern for patient safety globally, especially among vulnerable populations [8][9][10][11][12]. In the United States of America, more than 2.5 million patients develop PIs every year, with a median prevalence of 15% [13][14][15], while in Europe, the prevalence is 10.8% [3,11].…”

“…PIs are a major concern for patient safety globally, especially among vulnerable populations [8][9][10][11][12]. In the United States of America, more than 2.5 million patients develop PIs every year, with a median prevalence of 15% [13][14][15], while in Europe, the prevalence is 10.8% [3,11]. In Portugal, epidemiological data show a median prevalence of PIs ranging between 11.5% and 17.5% in specific care settings, such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, home care, and residential facilities for older adults [16,17].…”