Surgical site infections (SSI) are a common, yet largely preventable, complication of surgery which can result in increased length of stay and hospital readmission. In this review of 57 studies, the cumulative incidence of SSI was 11% in adult general surgical patients and was associated with increased length of stay (with variation by types of surgery).

Nontechnical skills such as teamwork and communication can influence surgical performance. This Australian hospital implemented a team training program for surgical teams focused on improving individual and shared situational awareness which led to improvements in nontechnical skills.

Medication safety, particularly among older adults who may have complex medication regimens, is an ongoing safety concern. This study explored medication safety behaviors among young-old (65-74 years), middle-old (75-84 years) and old-old (>85 years) adults. The authors found that older adults are willing to engage in medication safety behaviors, but that preferred behaviors (e.g., verbal behaviors, self-administering medication, reviewing medication charts) differed among the age groups.

Early detection of patient deterioration remains an elusive patient safety target. This scoping review examined how nurses employ early warning scoring systems that prompt them to call rapid response teams. Investigators identified 23 studies for inclusion. Barriers to effective identification and treatment of patient deterioration included difficulty implementing early warning score systems, overreliance on numeric risk scores, and inconsistent activation of rapid response teams based on early warning score results. They recommend that nurses follow scoring algorithms that calculate risk for deterioration while supplementing risk scoring with their clinical judgment from the bedside. A WebM&M commentary highlighted how early recognition of patient deterioration requires not only medical expertise but also collaboration and communication among providers.

This qualitative study of hospitalized patients in Sweden found that patients expressed interest in engaging in their care. Themes included shared decision-making and increasing patient understanding of health conditions. Patients also expressed concern about the power dynamic between patients and providers and uncertainty about how to best participate in their own hospital care.

This study of an after-hours rapid response team found that the team was not always activated as intended. More unplanned admissions to intensive care were identified following rapid response implementation, possibly due to enhanced surveillance for clinical deterioration. Under-utilization of rapid response may account for mixed results in improving patient safety.

In contrast to a recent study that showed no change in postoperative morbidity and mortality following checklist adoption, this systematic review explored the evidence and found that checklist implementation was linked to a reduction in overall surgical complications. The authors recommend that checklists be used with other interventions to augment safety.

Interruptions were associated with an increased risk of miscommunication between team personnel during surgical procedures. Teams that had limited experience working together seemed to be particularly vulnerable to miscommunications.

This qualitative study, based on direct observation of 160 surgical procedures, found that communication breakdowns were significantly correlated with deviations from the expected length of the procedure.

This review analyzed 12 studies focused on team training in surgical settings, and found before-and-after implementation improvements in team practices and complication rates. However, similar to a past review, the authors highlight limitations in study design and the need for additional research on team training strategies.

Finding limited evidence that rapid response systems prevent adverse clinical outcomes, this review explores how to improve their effectiveness.

This qualitative study examined strategies for successfully implementing a novel approach to nursing handoffs.

This review found that handoff errors are common between ambulance personnel and the emergency department, and there is a need for standardization of handoff responsibilities and development of structured handoff protocols.

This qualitative study used interviews with nurses, anesthesiologists, and surgeons to explore reasons for the suboptimal use of preoperative time outs.

This qualitative study used interviews with operating room personnel to identify aspects of interpersonal relationships and organizational culture that affect teamwork and communication during surgical procedures.

This article describes how one hospital implemented bedside handover to improve patient care.

This study analyzed the most common adverse events following discharge from an intensive care unit and discovered that a respiratory rate of less than 10 breaths/minute or greater than 25 breaths/minute and a heart rate of more than 110 beats/minute were significant independent predictors. Nursing care requirements also predicted adverse events in limited analyses, which the authors suggest is an area for future investigation.