Those working nurse practitioner jobs have a unique responsibility when it comes to patient safety. These clinicians are known for their dedication to providing high-quality care and protecting patients' well-being, and research backs up this reputation. An American Association of Colleges of Nursing press release cited research that found a link between higher education in nurses and reduced mortality rates in patients.
Of course, nurse practitioners are always looking for ways to improve, and research has revealed new strategies for delivering higher quality care. Here are a few ways those with nurse practitioner jobs can promote patient safety.
Self harm
As Contemporary Pediatrics explained, pediatric nurse practitioners must inform adolescent patients of privacy policies before every appointment. However, these clinicians also make a point to say that confidentiality is protected unless the child intends to harm him or herself or others. This makes diagnosing and treating nonsuicidal self-injuries all the more complicated.
Of course, with keeping patients safe as a priority, nurse practitioners must employ effective strategies when evaluating and addressing NSSI. A separate Contemporary Pediatrics article cited the SOAR assessment as an important step in this process. The acronym guides clinicians through helpful questions to ask the patient after learning whether he or she has inflicted self-harm:
- Suicidal ideation: Do you ever think about ending your life while harming yourself?
- Onset, frequency and methods: How often do you hurt yourself, and what do you use?
- Aftercare: What steps do you take to treat the wounds afterwards?
- Reasons: In what ways do you feel self-harm has helped you?
- Stage of change: Have you thought about stopping?
This evaluation should help reveal what type of mental health assistance the young patient needs. Putting adolescents on the right track can keep them safe and healthy.
Patient falls
As much as we might like to believe that hospitals are safe havens, medical facilities come with their fair share of hazards. This is especially apparent among patients recovering from surgery, illness or injury. These individuals need time before they can regain full mobility and balance. If they try walking along hospital halls, slippery floors pose a threat for falls.
In fact, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, between 700,000 and one million people fall in U.S. medical facilities each year. This can lead to anything from minor bruises to traumatic brain injuries. Nurse practitioners can reduce the rate of these incidents by evaluating a patient's risk for falling. According to the American Nurses Association, clinicians should complete this assessment upon admission and when appropriate throughout the patient's stay, such as when there's a change in health status.
This involves looking at both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The latter concept requires a simple evaluation of the physical environment. Is there clutter? Are surfaces slippery? The intrinsic assessment is a bit more complicated, and nurse practitioners must consider physiological conditions like dizziness or muscle weakness.
After ascertaining the fall risk, nurse practitioners can cater their prevention plan to the patient's needs. For instance, clinicians may reserve exercise for times of day when the patient is more energized or use assisted mobility devices to prevent falls.
Emergencies
Nurse practitioners are often regarded as medical leaders, so when disaster strikes, other clinicians look to them to take charge. For example, in the event of a fire, evacuating all of the patients seems like a daunting task – and it is. However, with practice and effective strategies, nurse practitioners can lead their teams to safety.
Just consider what happened at the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre in Canada. As Global News reported, when a fire broke all, the medical facility staff used the skills they learned in their annual drills to get everyone out of the building. In a matter of two hours, all 105 patients were safely evacuated. According to nurse Sherrie Whiffen, accomplishing this task required remaining calm and working well under pressure. Nurse practitioners can learn from this and serve as composed, confident leaders in their own facilities.
Nurse practitioners serve an integral role in care teams. Their leadership and compassion puts them in the perfect position to advocate for and facilitate patient safety.