聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Acute care is always a concern for patients heading to the hospital for treatment, but the Sun Country Health Region鈥檚 Acute Care CQI (Continuous Quality Improvement) Team has released a report to help alleviate concerns when heading to the hospital. The report focuses on 鈥淣ever Events鈥� and describes how they avoid situations, which can make those heading in for a procedure a little bit nervous.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Worries often develop when going in for a surgery; will they accidently operate on the wrong patient, do the wrong procedure, or the right procedure but on the wrong body part? Although this thought crosses people鈥檚 minds who are anxiously awaiting their procedure, operating room teams utilize a checklist. They mark the body part for surgery and most importantly they include the patient in the first phase of the checklist to ensure they have the right patient, are doing the right surgery, and have the correct body part. This is done before the patient receives any pre-operative sedation.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Another common concern is that a patient will be given the wrong tissue, biological implant, or blood product; but, again there are multiple, independent checks done before administering a blood product. Outpatients are given a bracelet with identification codes on it and if this bracelet is removed, the process it restarted from the beginning.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The third 鈥淣ever Event鈥� includes ensuring no foreign object is left in a patient after a procedure is complete. Instrument counts are conducted twice during the surgery and if the count is incorrect the procedure does not continue. They then complete a count prior to closing the incision.聽 For those that are in need of packing being used during the surgery, the length of packing is recorded and when removed is documented and verified that it is fully accounted for.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sterilization of instruments are a top priority and staff are fully trained, while their understanding of sterilization procedures are checked each year. For instruments being sterilized they must pass a biological indicator test, while single use supplies are always discarded and never reused.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Allergies to medication concern those who enter the hospital, but Sun Country watches patient records, while patients are specifically asked upon each admission to the hospital if they have allergies. Once discovered an allergy bracelet is placed on the individual and on the patient status board. As another precaution nurses check with the patient again before administering any medication.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 When dealing with cylinders of gas Sun Country utilizes a universal coding system which involves different coloured tips for medical air, oxygen, and nitrous oxide. Additionally the wall adaptors and ports within the operating room will only fit the gas they are intended for.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Precautions are also taken by Sun Country in other pharmaceutical events such as administering chemotherapy agents, monitoring the use of concentrated potassium solution, clearly marked labels between HYDROmorphone and morphine, as well as restrictions to those who can administer neuromuscular blockade.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Staff of Sun Country has also been through an education program and quality controls for point of care testing when it comes to identifying and treating metabolic disturbances such as hypoglycemia/hyperglycemia in adults and hyperbilirubinemia in neonates. Nurses are able to test related to symptoms and adjust accordingly.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 If someone admitted is at risk of a stage III or stage IV pressure ulcer after admission then the patient is checked three times a week and risk factors are addressed through the patient鈥檚 care plan with preventative measures put in place.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Preventative measures are taken when it comes to accidental burns as well with a tub temperature policy, which includes recording the temperature of the tub water, while 鈥渨heat bags,鈥� hot water bottles, heat lights, heat packs, and heated blankets are not allowed within the facilities. When staff is heating IV fluids or treating for hypothermia, there is specific equipment made and used to ensure it is done correctly.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Within the Region there are very few secured units, but for those that do exist, there are locked doors with alarms. Precautions are also taken such as checking on a patient at certain intervals, such as every 15 minutes, and the acute mental health unit has a constant observation policy including a video camera in a designated room. Additionally, if required extra staff will be called in to assist with observation if needed.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In the case of patients who are suicidal they are placed under the highest level of observation. According to Sun Country they worked significantly in the past few years on suicide prevention including their use of assessment tools and protocols for treatment. Education regarding this is provided to staff annually.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 There is only one newborn nursery in the Region and when a baby is born they are given a bracelet, which corresponds to the mother鈥檚 bracelet to ensure the child is discharged to the correct family.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A final concern that people have when family members who are frail or with dementia are transported to the hospital regards the safety of the individual. Sun Country ensures that patients are never unattended by EMS, while they make it necessary to conduct proper handoff using a standard format emphasizing good communication and a safe handoff between EMS and the hospital staff as well, which is reviewed on an annual basis.
