Tag: safety
Neurointensive Care: A Clinical Guide to Patient Safety
This book provides guidance for physicians confronted with acute neurological crises in the context of patient safety centred practice standards. It highlights how the implementation of patient safety standards in the neurointensive... read more
Staff Experiences Relating to Early Mobilisation of Mechanically Ventilated Patients in Intensive Care
Early mobilisation of mechanically ventilated patients has been suggested to be effective in mitigating muscle weakness, yet it is not a common practice. Understanding staff experiences is crucial to gain insights into what... read more
Patients’ Perspectives on Point-of-Care Diagnostics in Acute COPD Exacerbations
Patients' perspectives showed that point-of-care diagnostics and treatment of acute COPD in exacerbation was considered a qualitative offer by the patients and their relatives. At the same time, it was crucial that the emergency... read more
Information Transfer as a Strategy to Improve Safety in ICU
In an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), we attend people with a wide range of pathologies. All the information obtained from monitoring our critical patients, diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, responses to treatments, action... read more
Failing to Learn and Learning to Fail
Last week saw the publication of yet another damning report shining a spotlight on the culture of cover up and denial in our healthcare system. Bill Kirkup’s report—”The Life and Death of Elizabeth Dixon: A Catalyst... read more
WHO Resumes Hydroxychloroquine Study for COVID-19
The World Health Organization is resuming a clinical trial exploring whether the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine can effectively treat COVID-19, after pausing enrollment in the study to review safety concerns about the drug. The... read more
Models of Peer Support to Remediate Post-Intensive Care Syndrome
A number of different models of peer support are currently being developed to help patients and families recover and grow in the post-critical care setting. Via an iterative process of in-person and email/conference calls,... read more
Evaluation of Perioperative Medication Errors and Adverse Drug Events
One in 20 perioperative medication administrations included a medication error (ME) and/or adverse drug event (ADE). More than one third of the MEs led to observed ADEs, and the remaining two thirds had the potential for... read more
Prehospital Intravenous Fentanyl Administered by Ambulance Personnel
Prehospital acute pain is a frequent symptom that is often inadequately managed. The concerns of opioid induced side effects are well-founded. To ensure patient safety, ambulance personnel are therefore provided with treatment... read more
Burnout How Can We Improve
The risk of burnout in intensive care is high, there is a great need to look after ourselves and each other to enable us to effectively care for our patients and to be part of not only an effective team but also an enjoyable... read more
A New Bill Introduced in the House Would Protect Millions of Health Care Workers
A group of House Democrats introduced a bill to help protect millions of nurses and other health care workers from the high rates of violence they experience on the job. The new bill, called the "Workplace Violence Prevention... read more
Feasibility and observed safety of interactive video games for physical rehabilitation in the ICU
Novel use of interactive video games as part of routine PT in critically ill patients is feasible and appears safe in our case series. Video game therapy may complement existing rehabilitation techniques for ICU patients.... read more
Critically Ill: A 5-Point Plan to Cure Healthcare Delivery
Two decades ago Dr. Fred Southwick witnessed the near demise of his wife while she was being cared for in a prominent academic medical center. For 15 years he blamed the individual physicians who cared for Mary. However five... read more
Practice Change From Intermittent Medication Boluses to Bolusing From a Continuous Infusion in Pediatric Critical Care
Implementation of bolus medications from continuous infusion in PICUs significantly decreased time to begin a bolus dose and increased nursing satisfaction. The practice change also improved medication utilization without... read more
A Qualitative Exploration of the Discharge Process and Factors Predisposing to Readmissions to the ICU
Severe illness predisposes ICU patients to readmission, especially when goals of care were not adequately addressed. Communication, premature discharge, and other factors, mostly unrelated to the patient were also perceived... read more
What Did We Get Stuck In Our Rectums Last Year?
If it's Christmas, it must be time to learn what America shoved inside itself. The only worthwhile holiday tradition pushes on. All reports are taken from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's database of emergency... read more
Four in Five U.S. Physicians Have Been Affected by Cyberattacks
More than four in five U.S. physicians (83 percent) have experienced some form of a cybersecurity attack, according to new research released by Accenture and the American Medical Association (AMA). This, along with additional... read more
New Guidance for Medication Safety in the ICU
Critically ill patients are a population at high risk for more frequent and more severe medication-related events. Critically ill patients receive twice the number of medications that non-critically ill, hospitalized patients... read more
The Business Case for Investing in Physician Well-being
Understanding the business case to reduce burnout and promote engagement as well as overcoming the misperception that nothing meaningful can be done are key steps for organizations to begin to take action. Evidence suggests... read more
