A medical career – whether as a first responder, physician or travel nurse – involves handling adversity with grace and calmness. Few professionals encounter problems and difficult situations with the regularity of people in the healthcare field, so it is important that individuals in this profession understand the best ways to deal with pressure and tough situations before they get out of hand.
Of course, completely eliminating mistakes from your work is impossible, but there are a few simple steps you can take to give yourself the best shot at an error-free professional life. Read on for some advice for preventing mistakes during your travel nursing career.
Listen
Before you even decide your course of action, it is crucial that you listen to your superiors, your co-workers and, perhaps most importantly, your patients. Although there are many procedures and protocols involved in nursing, it is important that you are not just “going by the book” when treating a patient. Listen carefully to how patients describe their symptoms and express their feelings – these little clues can help ensure that you are making the best decision for those in your care.
Correct errors
It may seem obvious, but one of the best ways to prevent mistakes in the future is to rectify those you or your teammates have made in the past. This isn’t always the easiest thing to do – it often entails swallowing your pride – but it is instrumental in working toward an error-free workplace.
According to a recent report from the Office of the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a troublingly high number of medical errors at hospitals go unreported. In fact, according to the report, only 14 percent of harm incidents involving Medicare patients are actually discovered by hospitals. In addition to putting these patients in danger, the lack of reporting makes it nearly impossible to eliminate those same errors going forward. If you are truly devoted to removing mistakes from your job, you should be equally committed to addressing the ones you’ve already made.
Eliminating mistakes from your work performance is a long road, but by following these tips and working diligently, you may find that the process is not nearly as difficult as you thought.