The concept of patient safety is an important one. It describes efforts to minimize risks to patients. Its goals are to prevent or minimize adverse events, protect patients from harm, and maintain high quality health care. To achieve this, the field of patient safety draws on various disciplines, including psychology, sociology, engineering, education, and computer science. The term “patient safety” has become more widely used, thanks to the recent emergence of several popular safety-related books and websites.
Treat sick and elderly patients
As health care systems worldwide continue to grow in complexity and effectiveness, the need for patient safety has increased exponentially. Increasingly, we treat sicker and older patients. These patients often have co-morbidities that require difficult decisions about health care priorities. We also face increasing economic pressure on health systems, which often results in overcrowded care environments. While patient safety is a crucial component of the health care system, it is difficult to achieve without the involvement of nurses.
Positive that promotes patient well-being
While there are a number of definitions of patient safety, the National Quality Forum has attempted to provide clarity by publishing a Patient Safety Taxonomy. The most popular definition is that of harm. The term refers to the negative effects of a care failure on a patient. It does not include positive actions that promote the patient’s well-being. The focus on harm prevention is essential to the health of patients. There are numerous examples of cases of harm in health care.
