The AHRQ PSNet Collection comprises an extensive selection of resources relevant to the patient safety community. These resources come in a variety of formats, including literature, research, tools, and Web sites. Resources are identified using the National Library of Medicine’s Medline database, various news and content aggregators, and the expertise of the AHRQ PSNet editorial and technical teams.
Duffy C, Menon N, Horak D, et al. J Patient Saf. 2023;19:281-286.
Resiliency and proactive safety behaviors can improve safety in the perioperative environment. In this article, the authors describe safety attitudes of perioperative staff after participating in a proactive activity, One Safe Act (OSA). Most participants reported the OSA activity would change their work practices, improve their work unit's ability to deliver safe care, and demonstrate their colleagues' commitment to patient safety.
Duffy C, Menon N, Horak D, et al. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6:e237621.
Safety-II is a proactive approach to improving patient safety by focusing on what goes right in healthcare. This study describes the use of a novel tool and activity, One Safe Act (OSA), to capture activities performed by perioperative staff that keep patients safe. Eight themes emerged, with the most common theme being routines the staff “always” performed, followed by confirming resource availability.
Abraham J, Duffy C, Kandasamy M, et al. Int J Med Inform. 2023;174:105038.
Multiple handoffs occur during the perioperative period, each presenting an opportunity for miscommunication and patient harm. This review uses the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) framework to describe the barriers and enablers for improving staff communication pre-, intra-, and post-operative handoffs. Structured hand-offs, checklists, protocols, and interprofessional teamwork were cited as enablers for improved communication.
Root cause analysis (RCA) is a common method to investigate adverse events and identify contributing factors. To expand resident understanding of and participation in RCA, the authors developed simulated RCAs that were applicable to a broad set of specialties and included other healthcare professionals whose disciplines were involved in the event (e.g., nurses, pharmacists). After participating in the simulated RCAs, there was an increase in trainees understanding of RCA and intent to report adverse events.