Weathering the storm— Safety considerations during fluid shortages

Problem: As most readers are aware, on September 29, 2024, Baxter announced that their North Cove, NC manufacturing plant was temporarily closed due to damage from Hurricane Helene. This facility i...

ISMP National Vaccine Errors Reporting Program 2022-2023 Analysis: New Vaccines, New Errors

Problem: Though immunization is one of the greatest public health achievements, continued success relies on the appropriateness with which vaccines are prescribed, dispensed, stored, and administer...

Drug Diversion and Infection Prevention: When the Needle Hits the Vein

Longtime infection prevention leaders likely remember the story of David Kwiatkowski—a healthcare worker whose drug diversion activities put thousands of patients at risk of hepatitis C infection. ...

Reducing Inappropriate Polypharmacy through Deprescribing

Polypharmacy refers to the simultaneous use of multiple medications. It can lead to risks such as drug interactions, increased side effects, medication non-adherence, and cognitive impairment. Lear...

Supporting Nurses in Transition: Addressing Patient Safety Concerns in 2024

For 2024, one of the most pressing concerns in healthcare is ensuring the safe and effective transition of new nurses from their education into clinical practice. As the frontline of patient care, ...

Understanding “Human Factors” is Not “Factors Associated with Being Human”

Modern healthcare relies on a variety of physical and digital assets and tools. Sophisticated medical devices help in diagnosing and treating disease. Advanced materials prevent the spread of bacte...

Can We Ensure Medication Safety with the Use of Speech Recognition Software?

Problem: Speech recognition, or speech-to-text, is the ability of a computer software system to identify spoken words and then convert them into readable text. It is something most people use daily...

Advancing Safe and Equitable Healthcare: The New Patient Safety Structural Measure by CMS

On July 31, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a significant update to the hospital quality reporting program with the finalization of the Patient Safety Structu...

Use Barcode Scanning to Prevent Errors with Enteral Nutrition Feedings

Problem: The safe use of enteral nutrition (EN) in the hospital setting is often taken for granted. However, when viewed closely, the process is often fraught with potential failure points. Challen...