A Qualitative Exploration of the Discharge Process and Factors Predisposing to Readmissions to the ICU

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

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

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

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

Preventing Harm in the ICU – Building a Culture of Safety and Engaging Patients and Families

Preventing Harm in the ICU – Building a Culture of Safety and Engaging Patients and Families

Preventing harm remains a persistent challenge in the ICU despite evidence-based practices known to reduce the prevalence of adverse events. This review seeks to describe the critical role of safety culture and patient and... read more

Safety Hazards During Intrahospital Transport

Safety Hazards During Intrahospital Transport

A prospective observational study. Data from participant observations of the intrahospital transport process were collected over a period of 3 months. Findings suggest that intrahospital transport is a hazardous process for... read more

Reduction of Laboratory Utilization in the ICU

Reduction of Laboratory Utilization in the ICU

In our academic ICU, there is excess ordering of routine laboratory tests. This is partially due to a lack of transparency of laboratory-processing costs and to the admission order plans that favor daily laboratory test orders.... read more

Web-based ICU Communication Improves Patient Experience and Outcomes

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) have developed a web-based program that uses team communication and engagement to improve patient experience and outcomes. The study enrolled 1,075 ICU patients and provided... read more

An Airway Risk Assessment Score for Unplanned Extubation in PICU

An Airway Risk Assessment Score for Unplanned Extubation in PICU

Higher Risk Assessment Scores are associated with occurrence rates of unplanned extubation. As a result of a workshop to identify common causes of unplanned extubation, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta developed a scoring... read more

Patient Safety Concerns Over New 24-hour Shift Rule for First-year Doctors

Patient Safety Concerns Over New 24-hour Shift Rule for First-year Doctors

On Saturday, 30,000 first-year medical residents begin work and new rules taking effect that same day could add eight or more hours to their shifts. Doctors fresh out of medical school will be able to work for up to 24 hours... read more

Seven Roadblocks to Improving Patient Safety

Seven Roadblocks to Improving Patient Safety

Don Berwick's 7 Roadblocks to Improving Patient Safety. Eliminating such incidents requires continuous attention, says Berwick, during the National Patient Safety Foundation Patient Safety Congress. Berwick, the Institute... read more

A patient and family initiated rapid response system

A patient and family initiated rapid response system

Rapid response teams (RRTs) help in delivering safe, timely care. Typically they are activated by clinicians using specific parameters. Allowing patients and families to activate RRTs is a novel intervention. 240 patients/family... read more

The History of Patient Safety Awareness Week: March 12-18

The History of Patient Safety Awareness Week: March 12-18

The NPSF launched the first Patient Safety Awareness Week in 2002. This annual and globally recognized event typically occurs during the month of March. This year's Patient Safety Awareness Week will take place from... read more