I appreciated the article entitled "Preventing Never Events: What Frontline Nurses Need to Know" by Leslie McKeon, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, and Brittany Cardell, MSN, CNL, in which they explore how nurses can prevent never events through a research study focusing on hospital-acquired conditions (HACs). These never events are serious medical errors that lead to patient injuries and additional costs for hospitals. Nurses are crucial in preventing HACs, so it's vital for all nurses to know how to prevent errors and how to respond if an error occurs. HACs can be prevented through risk anticipation and evidence-based practice.
Throughout my career, I've become aware of issues that are still problematic in the nursing profession, such as falls, pressure ulcers, and catheter-related urinary tract infections. This article interested me because it's possible to make a medical error even if it's just a "near miss" and causes no direct harm to the patient.
Preventing never events requires teamwork, effective communication, and a collaborative work environment. I feel it's vital for nurses to know which risks to anticipate and how they can avoid them from occurring, whether this means questioning an order, seeking assistance from another nurse, or changing policies within the hospital.
I would definitely recommend this article to a colleague. It deals with real and dangerous current issues in nursing. I learned about specific HACs that will be engraved in my mind so I can help my fellow colleagues and hospital administrators improve our patients' hospital stays. Most of all, I learned even more about how I can be more proactive in preventing patient harm.
To read for free the article, "Preventing Never Events: What Frontline Nurses Need to Know," visit http://www.NursingMadeIncrediblyEasy.com and search for "never events."
Sanela Redze, RN