ARE WE SAFE IN THE HOSPITAL?? 😳🤔

 WORLD PATIENT SAFETY DAY🤕🛌

The " World Patient Safety Day" is celebrated every 17th of September. It was established by the 72nd  World Health Assembly in May 2019.

WHAT DOES PATIENT SAFETY MEAN?

Patient Safety is the avoidance of unintended or unexpected harm to people during the provision of medical care. (www.england.nhs.uk>Patient Safety)

Patient Safety is also how the hospital and other health care organizations protect their patient from errors injury and accident.(www.hospitalsafetygrade.org)

WHY SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED? 

-Apart from issues of litigation, people come to a hospital or any other health facility  to seek relieve from  medical conditions, it is then of utmost priority to ensure they are safe in a place where they come for comfort/relieve.

-If a hospital is not safe for a patient, it compound the patient already existing problems. 

WHAT CAN WE DO TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF PATIENT IN A HOSPITAL

There are  lots of things that can be done in a hospital to ensure patient safety;

(1)FOR INPATIENT

- Ensure the wards are condusive, well ventilated room, adequate lightning, clean environment.

(2)WHEN ATTENDING TO THE PATIENT 

-Use proper personal protective equipment.

-Wash your hands before and after each procedure and when attending to a patient.

- Barrier nurse infected patient to prevent cross infection.

- Use side rails for restless, elderly, post-op patient, children, patient with mental problem and in any other case where is needed.

- patient can also be restrained if need be.

- Do not use harsh perfumes and colognes when attending to the patient.

- Ensure the safety of mentally ill patient by removing potential harmful objects ( knife, blade, needles, ropes)

- Advice relative to always stay around the mentally ill patient and unstable patient.

- Give the right medication at the right time, the right dose, right route,to the right patient.

(3)FOR DISPOSAL OF REFUSE

- infected waste  should be disposed properly and far from the patient.

- Needles and other sharps should be disposed in the sharp box.

- Broken bottles and other waste should be swept and disposed promptly.

- proper seperation of waste.

(4)CLEANING 

- Do not use harsh solutions that can irritate the patient.

- Clean dusty surfaces with a damp cloth.

- patient who are allergic to the basic solutions used in the hospital can be asked to stay out during the cleaning.

- Ensure adequate lightning when cleaning.

- use a signpost with inscriptions like "wet floor" "cleaning in progress" why cleaning in the hospital.

(5) GENERAL

- Adequate lightning in every part of the hospital premises.

- Security personnel to ensure life and properties are secured.

-  Fumigation to reduce mosquitoes and other insects and rodents.

- Clearing the thoroughfare of equipment that patient can stumble on.

- Provision of fire extinguishers in different parts of the hospital.

- Sharing of handbills containing safety information to patient on admission.

CONCLUSION

When patients are entrusted to your care is necessary you ensure they are safe throughout their period of stay in the hospital.

 Is up to everyone to ensure that safety is the number one priority of all personnel working in the hospital.

SAFETY FIRST! SAFETY ALWAYS!

( By ✍️ Prisca Ojiobianu)

#sweetmotherhood#