Quality and Safety Problem Introduction

Quality in healthcare is the extent to which healthcare increases the likelihood of the desired healthcare outcomes and have consistency with current professional knowledge. Safety when serving patients is about the way hospitals or other healthcare organizations protect the patients from errors, infections, injuries and accidents.

Quality and safety is the cornerstone of providing patient care. Much of the work to ensure patient safety and practices is to prevent harm by focusing on the adverse outcomes of healthcare such as morbidity and mortality. Many hospitals have an excellent record in maintaining the safety of the patients, but it is not all. Close to half a billion people die each year at various hospitals because of preventable errors. It is the responsibility of everyone in a hospital setting to ensure that patients are safe. It should be the priority for every hospital.

Causes of Quality and Safety Problem Introduction Cause of quality problems

1. Lack of commitment

Some of the healthcare staff does not show a high responsibility that is necessary when treating and caring for a person who is suffering from ill health. They make patients uncomfortable and fail to offer encouragement that keeps patient hopeful of a quick recovery. It is essential to create an excellent first impression beginning with warm greetings and conversation to patients from the first meeting. Health care staff should be simple for patients to approach and show appreciation for getting an opportunity to serve them. A patient also feels appreciated when doctors and nurse keep their promises.

2. Lack of solid training

The way to provide solutions keeps on changing even in medical care. Some medical staff do not improve on their necessary skills, therefore, are unable to offer efficient and purposeful care that ensures that patients get quality care the first time. It is essential for hospitals or clinics to hire well-skilled employees and organize frequent training to improve their ability. Well trained individuals can deal with a wide variety of symptoms, complains, emergencies and determine those that require the attention of a specialist within a short time of examining the patient.

Cause of safety training

1. Non-adherence to hygiene

Hand cleanliness is the first line of defense against infection but is still a tactic that many fail to use comprehensively. Clinicians who fail to wash their hands enough increase the risk of diseases to the patients and even themselves. A free and straightforward solution to practice patient safety is a thorough washing of hands with clean water and soap or special detergent. Other hygienic steps to prevent infections due to unhygienic procedures are wearing protective items such as gloves or masks, using sterile equipment, a proper draping of cuts and broader skin sterilization before inserting tubes or needles.

2. Diagnostic and Medication errors

Diagnostic errors occur due to many occurrences including failing to order the appropriate tests, assumptions and poor patient engagement. Missed communications such as failing to follow up on a patient or test could cause a diagnostic misstep. Medication errors occur because of miscommunication between patients, health care providers and pharmacists. It is essential for health supervisors and managers to implement a system that ensures accuracy in exchange of patient information.

Healthcare is teamwork with various transitions during physical transfer, shift handover or change of physicians. Those who play supervisory roles should ensure that their teams communicate exact information at each changeover for other caregivers to begin care without the need for another assessment or read the chart from the beginning. The use of electronic health records provides a solution to share information without distortion and remote patient monitoring even when patients are at a different facility.

The icing on solving quality and safety problems is educating the patients on medications, preventive care and arranging follow up to ensure that they adhere to medical appointments. For instance, patients leave hospitals with blood thinners after surgery to prevent, but they should get accurate information on how to use them as incorrect use will cause uncontrollable bleeding.