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Health care–associated infections (HAIs) affect patients both during and after hospitalization. The use of patient safety methods as well as traditional infection control practices has resulted in significant successes in curbing HAIs such as central-line bloodstream infections. This set of practice guidelines will be developed and disseminated over the course of 2022 to summarize preemptive actions and implementation strategies for prevention of HAIs.

Smart pumps are widely available as a medication safety tool yet there are challenges affecting their reliable use. This guideline expands on earlier recommendations  to support smart pump use in both hospitals and the ambulatory setting. The material provides recommendations that address infrastructure, drug libraries, quality improvement data, workflow and electronic health record interoperability concerns.

This U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guideline supports good manufacturing practices by suggesting several strategies for minimizing medical gas-related patient safety incidents. 

Mistakes due to small-bore Luer connector similarities can contribute to patient harm. This guidance provides ways for manufacturers, policy makers, and product designers to prevent misconnections, including recommendations regarding improvements for labeling, user testing, and risk assessment.

The Joint Commission issues sentinel event alerts in response to significant emerging safety risks for events which carry high risk and require immediate action. This alert reports on new standards for tubing connectors to prevent injury from incorrect administration of therapeutic agents. New ISO (International Organization for Standardization) standards prevent one type of tubing (such as intravenous) to be incorrectly attached to a different delivery system (such as a feeding tube.) The Joint Commission recommends multidisciplinary review of existing tubing connectors, maintaining awareness of the possibility for incorrect connections, and preparing and adopting safety connectors as soon as they are available in late 2014. A past AHRQ WebM&M commentary describes an administration error due to incorrect tubing connection.

This announcement reveals the new National Patient Safety Goal for 2012, which aims to reduce catheter-acquired infections in hospitals. Note: This alert has been retired effective January 1, 2020.