General Prevention Strategies (07:17)

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The Joint Commission, The National Quality Forum, and other organizations focus on preventing medical errors. Guidelines include identifying patients at risk, comply with hand hygiene recommendations, using two patient identifiers, enhancing communication between providers, and improving documentation.

Prevention Strategies for the Most Common Medical Errors (08:00)

Four thousand surgery related events occur annually. Wrong site surgical events accounts for the highest percentage of sentinel events reported. The patient's identity must be confirmed using two identifiers; the practitioner should verify the site by marking the area of the incision scar while the patient is conscious.

Additional Considerations (05:00)

The latest Sentinel Event Alert from The Joint Commission recommended making healthcare personnel aware of actions to take if a fall occurs, creating an interdisciplinary tool to oversee fall prevention, and incorporating a standardized risk assessment tool. In patients who exhibit suicidal tendencies determine their immediate safety needs. Alarm fatigue is common in intensive care units.

Conclusion (01:04)

The most common hospital errors can be prevented by additional education about guidelines, medical equipment, and evidence based practices.

Credits: Medical Errors, Part 2: Prevention Practices (00:47)

Credits: Medical Errors, Part 2: Prevention Practices