From Adverse Events to Advocacy- The Nurse’s Role in Patient Safety and Quality Care
In the healthcare industry, patient safety is of utmost importance. Ensuring patient welfare requires a thorough awareness of the subtleties associated with adverse events, near misses, and sentinel occurrences. This essay examines these ideas, looking at their definitions, applications, and the critical role that nurses have in standing up for patients in situations like these. This essay will also discuss obligatory reporting rules and how important they are for promoting openness and ongoing development in healthcare settings.
An Adverse Event, Near Miss, and Sentinel Event
Patient safety is seriously threatened by adverse events, which are defined as unintentional injury to patients as a result of receiving medical care. According to (Skelly et al., 2022) these occurrences can range from small difficulties to serious injuries and, in the worst situations, can even be fatal. Conversely, near misses are instances in which mistakes are made but do not result in injury, offering a chance for early detection and mitigation of potentially negative outcomes (Griffey et al., 2023).
On the other hand, sentinel events are significant, unanticipated incidents that cause significant suffering or death to people. They are important markers of underlying systemic problems. A thorough strategy is needed to address these occurrences, which frequently includes a root cause study. By determining the underlying causes of an occurrence, this approach helps healthcare organizations take corrective action and avoid repeating the same mistakes (Patra & De Jesus, 2021).
An Adverse Hospital Event or Near Miss
One tragic example of an adverse event is that of Mr. Johnson, who, during routine surgery, falls victim to a pharmaceutical error as a result of a miscommunication among the medical staff. This instance exemplifies the vital need for patient safety. Mr Johnson receives the incorrect prescription, which causes negative side effects and increased suffering. The visiting nurse quickly realizes the mistake and acts to stop the medication, taking on a vital role as the patient’s advocate. In addition to providing an emergency reaction, the nurse is essential in accurately recording the occurrence, taking part in the investigation of the underlying cause, and offering perspectives in cross-disciplinary talks. This advocacy ensures more monitoring and helpful interventions in Mr. Johnson’s care plan. The nurse’s activities demonstrate her focus on patient-centered care and systemic change in addition to her commitment to minimizing immediate harm.
The Role of the Nurse in an Event and How they can Advocate for the Patient
In adverse situations, nurses act as first responders, quickly identifying and averting danger to demonstrate their commitment to patient safety. In addition to these quick fixes, nurses actively engage in investigations and offer insightful observations during multidisciplinary talks and root cause analysis (Nsiah et al., 2019). In addition to providing accurate documentation, they also represent patients’ interests by communicating the patient’s perspective and encouraging openness. When it comes to interacting with patients, attending to their needs, and creating a comforting atmosphere throughout rehabilitation, nurses are important. In the end, their campaign aims to instil a culture of safety in healthcare organizations by including both immediate patient care and a dedication to ongoing development (Nsiah et al., 2019).
Mandatory Reporting Laws or Systems to Report Events
Numerous legal systems have acknowledged the value of mandated reporting in fostering an environment of openness and responsibility. These regulations mandate that healthcare providers notify regulatory agencies about unfavourable incidents or near misses. By doing this, they support an ongoing endeavour to learn from errors, enhance system-wide procedures, and stop the recurrence of similar situations (Geiderman & Marco, 2020).
In conclusion, the investigation shows that nurses are vital to patient safety because they act quickly to address adverse occurrences and actively support systemic changes. Their dedication to openness and continuous development cultivates a safety culture in healthcare institutions, guaranteeing the continual improvement of patient care
References
Geiderman, J. M., & Marco, C. A. (2020). Mandatory and permissive reporting laws: obligations, challenges, moral dilemmas, and opportunities. Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open, 1(1), 38–45. https://doi.org/10.1002/emp2.12011
Griffey, R. T., Schneider, R. M., & Todorov, A. A. (2023). Near-Miss Events Detected Using the Emergency Department Trigger Tool. Journal of Patient Safety, 19(2). https://doi.org/10.1097/pts.0000000000001092
Nsiah, C., Siakwa, M., & Ninnoni, J. P. K. (2019). Registered Nurses’ Description of Patient Advocacy in the Clinical Setting. Nursing Open, 6(3), 1124–1132. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.307
Patra, K. P., & De Jesus, O. (2021). Sentinel Event. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33232058/
Skelly, C. L., Cassagnol, M., & Munakomi, S. (2022). Adverse Events. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/
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Question
Write a formal APA paper that addresses the following:
Identify what is an adverse event, near miss, and sentinel event.
Discuss an adverse hospital event or near miss. You can use personal experiences or national news.
Discuss the role of the nurse in an event and how they can advocate for the patient
Discuss mandatory reporting laws or systems to report events.
This paper should be between 2-4 pages and include: