Patient Safety Guideline - 11072023

Rec No: DRCH/GEN/00/00
PATIENT SAFETY
GUIDELINES
Date of Issue: 12/07/2023
Patient Safety And Its Importance:

When a patient receives care, they expect empathy, respect, and clinical professionalism throughout their
recovery. Underscoring all this is the idea that they will be safe while in their care. While the patient
might take this for granted, healthcare organizations and caregivers work hard to protect their charges
from accidental infections, injuries, and medical errors.
Patient safety refers to how healthcare workers and facilities account for the increasingly complex
settings and systems that can lead to mistakes. There are many potential points of error – for instance,
poor communication between healthcare providers, no standard procedures for storing medications and
disregarding the involvement of patients in their care. These can all be factors that undermine patient
safety.
Patient Safety Culture:

To achieve a high standard of patient well-being, health care delivery organizations must adopt
a culture of safety. “Patient safety culture” is when all members of a healthcare institution are equally
committed to putting patient safety first. Everyone must engage in actions that reflect that commitment.
Safety culture is an integrated pattern of individual and organizational behavior based upon shared beliefs
and values. It always seeks to minimize harm to patients that can inadvertently result from the processes
of care delivery.
Patient Safety Elements: Transparency, Leadership, Policies, Validation & A Just

Culture
 A high-quality culture starts with a transparent approach to reporting incidents and unsafe
conditions that do not punish those doing the reporting. If all team members feel comfortable
communicating incidents, it results in improved outcomes and organizational change that keeps
all patients safe.
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PATIENT SAFETY
GUIDELINES
 Maintaining this culture rests on everyone in a healthcare organization, from administrative staff
and frontline workers to contract employees and volunteers. However, patient safety starts at the
top. When managers and caregivers lead by example, they can decrease or eliminate any feelings
of intimidation. In turn, this will increase the probability of staff coming forward to report errors
and safety concerns.
 Of course, there would be no patient safety without procedures based on a systematic review.
Organizations must create and follow policies that support positive outcomes. They must make
systems and policies for reporting adverse events, near misses and unsafe conditions that can lead
to further patient injuries. Leaders must communicate these procedures to staff, make them
accessible to everyone, and enforce them.
 Finally, patient safety culture must be a just culture. “Just culture” means that the procedures
recognize all team members who report incidents, events and near misses or have good
suggestions for patient safety improvements.
 Key elements of patient safety affect everything in the hospital or care facility:
 Entry & exits: all entry & exits to the facility shall be kept clear at all time. The exits
shall be clearly marked. Handrails to be available at all stairs and ramps. Ramps to have
anti-slip coating.
 Basement: The basement shall be well lit with exits clearly marked. Care to be taken to
ensure absence of trip hazards
 Terrace: Exits to be clearly marked. Care to be taken to ensure absence of trip hazards
 Staircases: should be kept free of any obstructions. Hand rails to be installed. Stairwells
shall be well lit.
 Fire Detection & Fire Fighting: Ensure all fire detection & Fire Fighting Facilities
including the Fire Alarms, Fire & Smoke Detectors, Fira Alarm Control Panels, Fire
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PATIENT SAFETY
GUIDELINES
Extinguishers, Fire Hydrant System, Fire Pumps etc are periodically maintained. Fire
Drill to be carried out at regular intervals
 Washrooms: should have grab rails. Shall be maintained in hygienic & dry condition
 Hospital beds: shall have side rails to prevent fall of patients.
 Adverse Drug Reactions: Patient history of drug allergies to be noted at the time of
initial assessment. Patients and their families educated about the drugs administered or
prescribed. Emergency number to be communicated in case of any adverse drug reactions
shall be clearly mentioned on the prescription & Discharge summary
 Wrong site or wrong patient: Measures to be put in place including marking the correct
eye, calling out the name and surgery to be performed by at least 2 persons in the OT and
acknowledged prior to starting the surgery.
 Emergency Medical situations (Code blue): The ECO shall have trained staff who can
deal with code blue situations. They shall be well trained to carry out CPU. Code blue
Drills shall be carried out at regular intervals to ensure quick response during emergency
situations.
 Vulnerable patients: Special care shall be taken of vulnerable patients such as pediatric
patients (Aged 12 & below), Geriatric Patients (80 years & above), Differently abled
patients, Pregnant patients etc. Code Pink Drills shall be carried out at regular intervals
 Engaging Patients and Their Families More in Patient Safety: Patients generally
assume a basic level of quality in health care. Assuring safety and quality in health care
requires an integrated effort that includes a new role for patients and their families. About
adverse events and near misses, patients are possibly the last point at which event
detection and prevention can occur. The patient and the patient’s family should be
educated about the condition, probable causes, course of treatment, possible side effects
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PATIENT SAFETY
GUIDELINES
or complications, adverse drug reactions etc. The part of the patients and their families
should be transparent on the medical history, drug allergies, medications being currently
taken etc. This collaborative approach will help in reducing the risk of adverse situations
during the course of treatment
CULTURE OF SAFETY:
Improvements in patient safety are best achieved when health care delivery organizations adopt a culture
of safety. A culture of safety can be defined as an integrated pattern of individual and organizational
behavior, based upon shared beliefs and values, that continuously seeks to minimize patient harm that
may result from the processes of care delivery. Systemic improvements in the way health care is delivered
should not be made at the expense of a weakening of the sense of professional responsibility. Health care
professionals still need to be adequately prepared both mentally and physically to carry out their
responsibilities. They also need to be aware of the environment in which they practice and seek to
eliminate distractions that can be avoided. In addition, they need to be vigilant in identifying hazardous
situations and able to respond to these situations when they occur.
In conclusion, it is the shared responsibility of all the members of the ECO to make the facility a safe
place for the patients and their families to seek eye care treatment and the staff will endeavor to fulfill
their responsibility without any fear or prejudice and act in the best interest of the patients that the serve.
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Patient Safety Guideline - 11072023

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Rec No: DRCH/GEN/00/00

Patient Safety And Its Importance:

Patient Safety Culture:

Patient Safety Elements: Transparency, Leadership, Policies, Validation & A Just

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