Late last year, the Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns 2023 Special Report was released. This is an annual report from Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI) and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP). The goal of this report is to recognize “serious issues that threaten the safety of patients and healthcare workers when processes and systems are not aligned” (ECRI, 2023).

2023 Patient Safety Concerns

In the report, discover background and evidence which demonstrate the critical nature of these top concerns identified in 2023:

1. The pediatric mental health crisis
2. Physical and verbal violence against healthcare staff
3. Clinician needs in times of uncertainty surrounding maternal-fetal medicine
4. Impact on clinicians expected to work outside their scope of practice and competencies
5. Delayed identification and treatment of sepsis
6. Consequences of poor care coordination for patients with complex medical conditions
7. Risks of not looking beyond the “five rights” to achieve medication safety
8. Medication errors resulting from inaccurate patient medication lists
9. Accidental administration of neuromuscular blocking agents
10. Preventable harm due to omitted care or treatment

How can nurses make an impact?

The action recommendations provided by ECRI and ISMP are organized by four pillars: culture, leadership, and governance; patient and family engagement; workforce safety; and learning system. As the largest group of healthcare providers, nurses are instrumental in improving patient safety and there are opportunities within each pillar for nurses to make a difference. From screening, referrals, and education to communication, competence, and advocacy, we are positioned to tackle these concerns and improve care.

While we make a difference each and every day, we also need to make sure our voices are heard to impact change within our organizations and throughout health care. Consider joining a committee or board committed to patient and workplace safety, engage patients and caregivers as partners, support efforts and research to improve quality of care and safety, and advocate for total systems safety.

Reference:
ECRI. (2023). Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns 2023. https://www.ecri.org/top-10-patient-safety-concerns-2023-special-report
 

 

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COLLECTION	COLLECTION	GUIDELINE SUMMARY
Patient Safety in Nursing	Sepsis Guidelines and Protocols: Providing Care to Patients	Safe Medication Use in the ICU