Preventing errors with neuromuscular blocking agents.
Recommendations address reduction of risk of harm from neuromuscular blocking agents, hihg-alert drugs for which misuse can lead to catastrophic injuries or death.
Guidelines as Topic↗
Biomedical subjects
Judy L Smetzer
Publications and source records attributed to Judy L Smetzer.
Propofol sedation: who should administer?
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Health Personnel↗
Reducing at-risk behaviors.
All to often, one of the most deeply seated roots of system problems--an organizational culture with a high tolerance of at-risk behaviors--is overlooked.
Health Facilities↗
Unlabeled containers lead to patient's death.
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Aged↗
Intimidation: practitioners speak up about this unresolved problem.
A survey suggests that health care providers' intimidating behaviors are not isolated events, but many actions can be undertaken to reduce their frequency.
Attitude of Health Personnel↗
Findings from the ISMP Medication Safety Self-Assessment for hospitals.
BACKGROUND: Hospital medication practices should be assessed, awareness of the characteristics of a safe medication system heightened, and baseline data to identify national priorities established. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey of U.S. hospitals (N = 6,180) was conducted in May 2000. The survey instrument contained 194 self-assessment items organized into 20 core characteristics and 10 larger domains. Hospitals were asked to voluntarily submit their confidential assessment data to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) for aggregate analysis. METHOD: A weighting structure was applied to the individual items and used to calculate core characteristic scores, domain scores, and overall self-assessment scores. These scores were then compared to identify areas most in need of improvement. RESULTS: The 1,435 participating hospitals scored highest in domains related to drug storage and distribution; environmental factors; infusion pumps; and medication labeling, packaging, and nomenclature issues. These hospitals scored lowest in domains related to accessible patient information, communication of medication orders, patient education, and quality processes such as double-check systems and organizational culture. CONCLUSIONS: Enormous opportunities exist to improve medication safety, especially in domains related to culture, information management, and communication.
American Hospital Association↗
Pain scales don't weigh every risk.
The risk of patients receiving opioids without adequate monitoring and resulting in adverse outcomes has been noted by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices. More aggressive opioid analgesia often is clinically indicated, but it is not without risk. Adverse drug events due to opioids have increased with the recent adoption of pain management standards by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The implications of this are discussed and a specific safe practice recommendation is provided.
Analgesics, Opioid↗