Patient Safety Week Events Continue Tuesday

Patient Safety Week had an energetic start, with activities across the entire UHealth system. One major event was the introduction of the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP) to UHealth leaders. Created by Johns Hopkins patient safety researchers, CUSP is intended to improve patient safety culture while providing frontline caregivers with the tools and support they need to tackle the hazards that threaten their patients.

From left, David J. Birnbach, M.D., M.P.H., Michael E. Barron, M.D., Myka Whitman, B.S.N., RN, Melinda Sawyer, M.S.N., RN, and Steven Falcone, M.D., M.B.A.

Melinda Sawyer, M.S.N., RN, director of patient safety at the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality at Johns Hopkins, explained how CUSP has been used to successfully target a wide range of safety and quality issues for the past 15 years. CUSP teams are multidisciplinary in nature and work to improve safety using a five-step approach that mixes frontline staff expertise with the leadership support needed for change.

Tuesday’s activities will focus on identifying patients correctly, which has been The Joint Commission’s No. 1 National Patient Safety Goal since 2003. At UHealth, the two approved patient identifiers that should be verified with every patient, every time are the name and date of birth.

“Throughout the day, we will be distributing UM name and date of birth wrist bands to health care providers as a reminder to identify patients correctly in every intervention,” said Myka Whitman, B.S.N., RN, interim UHealth Chief Risk Officer. “Please encourage your staff to wear the bands the remainder of the week in celebration of the fact that every day is patient safety day.”

Tuesday, March 14 – Daily Theme: Identify Patients Correctly

8 – 10 a.m., SCCC 1301
NPSG Patient Identifiers, Jeopardy Game Giveaways – Wrist Bands

8 – 10 a.m., 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., UMH Cafeteria Hallway
Patient Safety Biohazardous Waste Educational Tables

8 a.m. – noon, UMH Mobile Cart
Hand Out Patient Name & DOB Wristbands

9 a.m. – noon, BPEI Mobile Cart
BPEI Take the Pledge for Patient Safety

9 a.m. – 1 p.m., UMH Lobby
UMH Patient Safety Booth – Patient Identifiers
Hand Out Green and Orange Wrist Bands (Name & DOB)

10 a.m. – noon, PBG
UMMG Patient Safety Education

10 a.m. – 2 p.m., BPEI Lobby
BPEI Patient Safety Booth

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Lennar Center
Lennar Satellite Visit

1 – 2 p.m., Email Communication
Webcast: What Patients Want (And Need) to Know!

1 – 3 p.m., Boca
UMMG Patient Safety Education

1 – 4 p.m., SCCC GYO Clinic, Room C120
Room of Errors – Patient Safety Simulation Room

3 – 5 p.m., UMH Mobile Cart
UMH NPSG Mobile Cart

7 – 9:30 p.m., Inpatient Units
Nursing Moving Cart Night Staff