Chapter 4: Preventing Medical Errors for Healthcare Professionals (Mandatory) 2 CE Hours
By: Elizabeth D. DeIuliis, OTD, MOT, OTR/L, CLA, FNA Learning objectives After completing this course, the learner will be able to: Define common terminology inclusive in medical errors. Recognize factors that impact the occurrence of medical errors. Course overview The purpose of this course is to provide licensed practitioners with information concerning the current state of medical errors, the impact of medical errors on the safety of patients, and the importance of establishing and working in a culture of safety. Contributing causes and types of medical errors are reviewed. Strategies to reduce or professionals perceive and make treatment decisions, ultimately resulting in disparities in health outcomes. These biases, often unconscious and unintentional, can shape behavior and produce differences in medical care along various lines, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and socioeconomic status. Healthcare disparities stemming from implicit bias can manifest in several ways. For example, a healthcare provider might unconsciously give less attention to a patient or make assumptions about their medical needs based on race, gender, or age. The unconscious assumptions can lead to delayed or inadequate care, misdiagnoses, or inappropriate treatments, all of which can adversely impact Implicit bias in healthcare Implicit bias significantly affects how healthcare
Identify error-prone scenarios in healthcare settings. Recall processes to analyze, prevent, and/or reduce medical errors. Recognize safety needs of special patient populations. prevent medical errors, and improve patient outcomes, are presented. Methods to identify, analyze, and report medical errors are reviewed, populations at risk for medical errors are identified, and patient safety initiatives including education for the public and healthcare professionals are explored. health outcomes. Addressing implicit bias in healthcare is crucial for achieving equity in medical treatment. Strategies to combat these biases involve education and awareness programs for healthcare professionals. These programs help individuals recognize and acknowledge their biases, fostering a more empathetic and unbiased approach to patient care. Additionally, implementing policies and procedures prioritizing equitable treatment for all patients can play a pivotal role in reducing healthcare disparities. Ultimately, confronting implicit bias in healthcare is essential to creating a more just and equitable healthcare system where everyone receives fair and equal treatment regardless of their background or characteristics.
INTRODUCTION
progressive change. Consequently, healthcare professionals must be equipped with knowledge that is data-driven, consistent, measurable, and timely. The purpose of this course is to provide licensed practitioners with information concerning the current state of medical errors, the impact of medical errors on the safety of patients, and the importance of establishing and working in a culture of safety. Contributing causes and types of medical errors are reviewed. Strategies to reduce or prevent medical errors and improve patient outcomes are presented. Methods to identify, analyze, and report medical errors are reviewed, populations at risk for medical errors are identified, and patient safety initiatives including education for the public and healthcare professionals are explored. This course provides information to all members of the interprofessional team that can be readily applied to their practice, no matter what the setting, with the ultimate goal of providing safer care to all patients. Healthcare providers will demonstrate knowledge of medical errors and populations at risk, the impact on patient care outcomes, and the resources and initiatives available to promote a culture of safety as an integral part of healthcare delivery. This course meets the state of Florida licensure renewal requirements for the identification and prevention of medical errors and the promotion of patient safety.
Numerous governmental agencies, healthcare improvement groups, noted thought leaders, and scholars have identified that healthcare is in the midst of a patient safety emergency. Despite an impassioned call over a decade ago through the seminal report To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System (Kohn et al., 2000); a decade of innovative, targeted protocols; and initiatives such as performance reimbursement metrics, the number of medical errors ranks as the third leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States per a study conducted by John Hopkins (Makary & Daniel, 2016). All healthcare professionals play an important role in managing, coordinating, and delivering direct care to patients. Therefore, it is important for healthcare professionals to obtain and maintain knowledge about safe patient care practices that are based on evidence. Although identification of safety issues is not a new concept, the measurement of outcomes and the multifactorial approaches used to address interventions moving from a culture of “blame” to one supporting care providers and identifying systems issues continue to evolve. Healthcare professionals are often called to serve as advocates in making substantive changes that directly impact patient outcomes. They navigate a complicated medical culture, imbedded bias, and practice patterns of diverse healthcare providers, patients, and institutions in order to promote
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Book Code: MFL1225
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