National Patient Safety Goals in Acute Care
Goal:
- Explore impact of national patient safety standards on an acute care unit.
- Utilize national patient safety standards to evaluate patient safety in acute care.
- Value application of national patient safety standards in an acute care environment.
Clinical Objective:
- Utilize the 2013 National Patient Safety Goals for hospital care to identify safety concerns on the clinical unit throughout the clinical
day.
- Apply the nursing process to prevent environmental safety hazards in an acute care facility.
Instructions:
- During the clinical day, note your observations.
- List recommendations for nursing practice based on your observations.
- Develop a plan of care for your client based on your observations and recommendations.
National Patient Safety Goal
Selected Examples
Goal #1
Improve the accuracy of
patient identification
-Use at least two client
identifiers when providing
care, treatment and services.
-Use 2 identifiers per facility
policy when administering
medication, blood
components or collecting
specimens for clinical testing.
-Acceptable identifiers may
include the individual’s
name, ID number, or other
person-specific identifier.
NPSG_ Clinical Worksheet Acute Care_ 2013
Goal met or not met?
-Describe observations
Recommendations
National Patient Safety Goal
Selected Examples
Goal # 2
Improve the effectiveness of
communication among
caregivers
-Report critical results of
tests and diagnostic
procedures on a timely
basis.
-What is the procedure for
managing critical results of
tests and diagnostic
procedures? (Ex: radiology
reports, lab values, etc.)
Goal # 3:
Improve the safety of using
medications
-Maintain and communicate
accurate patient medication
information.
-Locate the admission
medication reconciliation
form. Compare this list to
the current Mediation
Administration Record. Are
there any discrepancies or
omissions?
-How is the patient/family
informed about medication
reconciliation at the time of
discharge?
NPSG_ Clinical Worksheet Acute Care_ 2013
Goal met or not met?
-Describe observations
Recommendations
National Patient Safety Goal
Selected Examples
Goal #7:
Reduce the risk of health
care-associated infections
-Comply with current
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention hand
hygiene guidelines.
-Implement evidence based
practices to prevent health
care associated infections
due to multidrug resistant
organisms.
-Implement evidence based
practices for preventing
surgical site infections.
-Proper use of gloves and
Personal Protective
Equipment
-Urinal not on over bed table
with meal tray
-Linens properly disposed
(not on floor)
-Personal care items
identified and stored
appropriately
-How are hand hygiene,
contact precautions, cleaning
and disinfecting patient care
equipment implemented to
prevent the spread of HAIs?
-What policies and
procedures are implemented
to prevent surgical site
infections? (Ex:
patient/family education, skin
prep with clipper,
depilatories or antimicrobial
agents, etc.)
Goal met or not met?
-Describe observations
Recommendations
The Joint Commission. (2013). National patient safety goals: Hospital accreditation program. Retrieved from
http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/NPSG_Chapter_Jan2013_HAP.pdf
NPSG_ Clinical Worksheet Acute Care_ 2013
Care Plan Format
Nursing Diagnosis:
Goals:
Short Term
Long Term
Interventions:
Evaluation:
NPSG_ Clinical Worksheet Acute Care_ 2013
Rationale:
Student Evaluation: Applying the 2013 National Patient Safety Goals in Acute Care
1. How useful did you find this activity in your understanding of the 2013 National Patient
Safety Goals for Acute Care?
Exceptional
4
Good
3
Satisfactory
2
Unsatisfactory
1
N/A
2. How useful did you find this activity in applying the nursing process to prevent safety hazards
for patients in acute care?
Exceptional
4
Good
3
Comments:
NPSG_ Clinical Worksheet Acute Care_ 2013
Satisfactory
2
Unsatisfactory
1
N/A