Team collaboration is an essential part of ensuring patient safety in acute care settings. This survey of care team members (including nurses, physicians, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, and rehabilitation therapists) assessed teamwork and collaboration across 68 intensive care units (ICUs). Teamwork and work environment were rated favorably but care coordination and meaningful recognition were rated least favorably.

Pay-for-performance (P4P) strategies have been used by federal agencies to incentivize high quality care and reduce medical errors. This study used 2007 to 2016 inpatient discharge data from 14 states to compare rates of inpatient quality indicators and patient safety indicators before and after the implementation of the Medicare’s P4P program. Analyses identified limited improvement in quality and patient safety indicators.

… on multistate data, the authors conclude that there is a disconnect between penalties levied by the program and …

… BMJ Qual Saf … Fall prevention remains a patient safety priority . This article describes how fall … rarely included physicians. … Turner K, Staggs V, Potter C, et al. Fall prevention implementation strategies in use at 60 United States hospitals: a descriptive study. BMJ Qual Saf. 2020;29(12):1000-1007. …

This prospective observational study found that patients who experienced a fall with injury had longer hospital stays and higher likelihood of discharge to a location other than home compared to age- and unit-matched control patients. This study lends weight to fall prevention as a patient safety priority.

Medication administration errors are common and account for a significant fraction of medication errors. This study sought to assess how bedside nurses' reported attitudes and skills with safety practices affect medication administration errors. Researchers determined that system, local, and individual bedside nurse factors contribute to medication administration errors.

… older adults in bed while hospitalized to reduce falls , a never event . The authors suggest that immobilizing … and advocate for hospitals to promote patient mobility as a routine part of care. …

… American journal of infection control … Am J Infect Control … Although hospital staff members …

… Intern Med … In this randomized controlled trial, use of a standardized bed alarm system did not reduce falls in …

… Commission journal on quality and patient safety … Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf … Despite limited evidence that hospital … can decrease them , patient falls have been deemed a preventable complication that will not receive additional … to sustain an injury from a hospital fall. An AHRQ WebM&M perspective discusses challenges in and key strategies for …

This study found an association between inappropriate medication use, as defined by the Beers criteria, and drug-related clinical adverse events.

… in upcoming board examinations. The authors provide a general overview of patient safety, discuss the leading organizations involved and their goals, and share a list of safety interventions and practices as prioritized … safety topics that would fit into relevant examinations. A past commentary more broadly discussed the role of …