Joint Commission journal on quality and patient safety / Joint Commission Resources
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Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf · Jan 2006
Creating organizational change through the Pain Resource Nurse program.
Unrelieved pain remains a critical problem in health care. Barriers to improving the state of pain control include lack of education of health care professionals. Traditional quality improvement (QI) strategies directed toward educational interventions are rarely sufficient to change pain-related practice. PAIN RESOURCE NURSE (PRN) PROGRAM: The PRN program consists of a two-day course, quarterly in-services, regular newsletters, a listserv, individual meetings with PRNs and their managers to plan and conduct quality initiatives appropriate to their unit, as well as an optional clinical experience. ⋯ The PRN program is an effective strategy in creating organizational change to improve the state of pain control.
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Recommendations address reduction of risk of harm from neuromuscular blocking agents, hihg-alert drugs for which misuse can lead to catastrophic injuries or death.
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Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf · Nov 2005
Drivers of electronic medical record adoption among medical groups.
Use of electronic medical records (EMRs) in health care organizations can reduce medical errors and improve quality of care through physicians' increased use of evidence-based patient care processes. However, only 20%-25% of physician organizations have adopted EMRs. A study was undertaken to determine the characteristics of primary care medical groups that distinguish EMR adopter from nonadopter organizations. ⋯ Large medical groups are more likely to have the financial and human resources necessary to overcome barriers to the adoption of an EMR. Knowing the influence of the other organizational characteristics on EMR adoption will help prepare organizational leaders for the complicated process of achieving consensus among physicians and others in medical groups on the expenditure of funds and other resources to acquire an EMR. Financial incentives for all medical groups will help drive EMR adoption, but financial and technical assistance aimed specifically at smaller groups is particularly warranted. Widespread adoption of EMR among medical groups will take time.
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Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf · Oct 2005
Integrating the intensive care unit safety reporting system with existing incident reporting systems.
Voluntary incident reporting systems that identify risks can be integrated into existing hospital reporting systems and can improve patient safety. ⋯ Voluntary external reporting systems such as the ICUSRS hold promise for improving patient safety.
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Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf · Sep 2005
Case ReportsPreventing surgical fires: who needs to be educated?
BACKGROUND AND CASE STUDY: Surgical fires are rare but preventable. During facial surgery for a 68-year-old man, a fire broke out, resulting in first- and second-degree burns after a nasal cannula ignited in an oxygen-rich environment because of improper draping and tenting. ⋯ Surgical fires can usually be prevented by educating staff about risk and prevention strategies. Such education should be part of all undergraduate medical, nursing, and other allied health profession education.