Position on Patient Safety

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Patient safety is fundamental to quality health and nursing care. This nurse leader believes that the health care workers have a great role to improve patient safety. Infection control, safe handling and administration of medications, safe handling of equipments, safe clinical practice and safe environment of care are included in patient safety. Proper training and education are vital ingredients of development of patient safety. This nurse leader is an advocate in all aspects of patient care. Nurses have to inform the patients, the plan of care, explain the treatment and its options, notify the adverse effects on time through the appropriate channel or requirement of the facility ("Patient Safety," 2002, p. 1).

Early detection of risk groups and prevention of harm is critical in the patient care. Appropriate staffing, safe working environment and trained staff s are necessary for the enhancement of patient safety. This nurse leader believes nurses and national nurses association have a responsibility to inform patients and family of potential risks; report adverse effects; improve communication with patient and family; adequate staffing; promote infection control programs; standardized treatment policies and protocols; accurate administration of medicine and recognize the health care provider who delivering excellence in patient safety ("Patient Safety," 2002, p. 1).

Nurse leaders have responsibility to identify patients who are at the risk for falls, pressure sores, infections and non-compliance groups. Identify fall risks by checking their level of consciousness, level of performance, daily activities, and the medicines they are taking such as hypertensive medications, tranquilizers, sedatives, and diuretics. The nurse l...

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Position Statement on Patient Safety. (2002). Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.icn.ch/publications/position-statements/

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