Preventing Medical Errors - Promoting Patient Safety

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Patient Safety Tips

DISCLAIMER: The information on this Website is NOT intended as medical advice. These tips are intended only to be helpful and used as a common sense approach to improving patient safety. For any concerns, questions, uncertainties, medical advice or unusual situations, contact your physician. For any emergency call 911. These tips are NOT intended to be all-inclusive with regard to the prevention of all medical or medication errors. These tips are educational in nature and not intended as advice.

One of your patient rights is the ability to file a grievance. The hospital is obligated to assist you with filing a grievance if you select to do so. Contact the hospital patient relations department if you wish to file a grievance.

Medication Safety

Tip: Know about all the medications you use. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about all your medicines. What are they for, how are they to be given (injection, pills, etc.), when are you supposed to receive them, if there are any interactions between your other drugs or foods and for a description of the side effects.

Tip: Before taking any medication, especially if it looks unusual, ask your doctor and nurse about the medicine. Do not assume the medication has been substituted for a generic brand.

Tip: When your doctor gives you a prescription, carefully listen to the name of the medication and the instructions for taking the medicine. If you are unclear, ask the doctor to repeat the name of the drug and the instructions until you fully understand them.

Tip: When going to the hospital, bring a neatly printed or typed list of all the medications you use, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, minerals, herbs and supplements. Make sure you check the correct spelling of the items and list the exact dosage, and times you take the medicines.

Hand Washing in the Hospital

Tip: Politely ask the clinicians and health care workers taking care of you to wash their hands each time they have direct contact with you.

Tip: If you are in the hospital, wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.

Tip: Waterless hand gel is extremely effective in killing germs. It kills on contact and does not require running water.

Tip: If you are unable to get out of bed, ask the nurse or aid taking care of you, to give you some waterless hand gel or a hand sanitizer cloth to clean your hands. Most hospitals provide these for patients that cannot get out of bed and go to the sink.

Tip: When you wash your hands, sing the song “Yankee Doodle Dandy”, this is great for children. Otherwise, wash your hands briskly for 15 to 30 seconds.

Tip: Each time a health care professional takes care of you and they are using gloves make sure they put on a new pair. If they do not, politely ask them to put on a new pair of gloves when taking care of you.

Having Surgery

Tip: Prior to surgery, at least ten days, review all your medicines with your surgeon. Include prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, supplements, vitamins, minerals and herbs. Be cautious for any medicines that you are taking that may contain hidden aspirin products. Discuss your aspirin product use with your surgeon. He or she may want you to discontinue aspirin products ten days prior to surgery, but be sure to ask them for advice, do not decide on your own.

Tip: When going to the hospital for surgery or a procedure, bring a neatly printed or typed list of all the medications you use, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, minerals, herbs and supplements. Make sure you check the correct spelling of the items and list the exact doses and times you take the medicines.

Tip: Once you are told you need surgery, start a notepad.

Tip: In your notepad, write down all of your questions and ask your surgeon.

Tip: Initially, talk to your surgeon and review and document in your notepad the things that your surgeon wants you do before the procedure.

Tip: When you are first told that you need surgery, ask immediately what other tests and preparations you will need before surgery. Ask who will be performing the tests and when they need to be done.

Tip: Check off each test and preparation as it is completed. Note the date of each procedure, who performed it and the place it was performed.

Tip: At least three working days before the scheduled surgery, check with your surgeon’s office to assure that he/she has received all the results of your completed tests and preparations.

Tip: Confirm several days before surgery with the surgeon’s office that on the day of your surgery, all of your test results and paperwork will be available at the hospital or outpatient surgery center.

Tip: For many surgeries, including bone, cardiac and abdominal surgeries ask about the process for showering (steps to help prevent infection) before surgery. Depending on the type of surgery, the Centers for Disease Control recommends specific guidelines for pre-surgery showering (such as with a special soap that your doctor can recommend). Discuss with your surgeon his/her showering recommendations for the type of surgery that you are having.

Tip: In your notepad, write down the medications you will be receiving, including the antibiotic type and time you are to receive before your surgery. Check the name of the medications for accurate spelling and confirm this with your surgeon.

Tip: Speak on the phone or schedule an appointment with your anesthesiologist prior to surgery. Review with the anesthesiologist the antibiotic and timing that your surgeon reviewed with you. Many hospitals provide outpatient anesthesia clinics for these consultations.

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