Electronic medical records offer users the ability to copy information forward from note to note. This practice is nearly universal, despite the attendant safety risks that may result if incorrect or outdated information is propagated in this fashion. Although most attention has focused on copying and pasting by physicians, nurses may use this function as well. This AHRQ-funded study used a multiple stakeholder approach to develop consensus recommendations for nurses' copy-forward practices, seeking to establish a balance between patient safety and nurses' work efficiency. Investigators recommend that copying and pasting should be allowed, but that copied text should be easily identifiable within the electronic medical record, staff should receive formal training on the appropriate and safe use of copy-forward, and the practice should be monitored and assessed by supervisors. Efforts to limit copying and pasting will likely continue to be hindered by the fact that most clinicians do not perceive that copy-forward practices pose patient safety risks, despite examples to the contrary.

This commentary describes how patient safety concepts, such as root cause analysis, safety culture, and health care failure mode and effect analysis, can enhance safety in dental care.

Analyzing published case studies on tubing misconnections and expert recommendations for improvement, this review suggests that equipment redesign—making enteral and IV systems incompatible—is the most effective strategy to reduce incidence of such errors.

This review surveys information on enteral nutrition administration and tubing misconnections and recommends employing increased standards and forcing functions to reduce their incidence.

Based on reports received through numerous national organizations, this article provides public policy recommendations for preventing certain tubing misconnections.

This article describes factors contributing to errors in enteral nutrition delivery and offers strategies to prevent medical tubing misconnections.

The author uses a classification model to outline anesthetic safety considerations.