Gibson and Singh provided alarming statistics based upon the IOM’s 1999 report of 100,000 deaths per year due to medical errors. According to Gibson and Singh, this translates to 275 deaths due to medical errors every day. Based on the number of deaths known, and considering the potential number for unaccounted deaths, reflect on the book and address the following:
1. Part 1 of Gibson and Singh details 10 patient-family accounts and their experience with medical error. Select one of the cases and discuss the following areas:
a. Summarize and provide an overview of the selected case.
b. Describe the type of error that occurred in the case (examples include: medication errors, misdiagnosis, a delay in treatment, cross contamination, failure to take the necessary precautions, surgical errors, unnecessary treatment, missed warning signs, etc.).
c. Discuss the underlying cause of the selected medical error that occurred in the selected case.
d. Compare one or more quality or safety initiative that now exists that could have prevented the error? (Cite the source where the initiative, guideline or protocol was found).
3. Discuss the role of nurses in developing a culture of safety interdependent upon a professional code of ethics.
a. Explain some of the reasons nurses fail to report errors and describe potential consequences to the nurse, patient, facility, and system associated with failure to report.
b. Discuss some of the reasons that have resulted in the nursing shortage and the subsequent effects on patient safety, quality of care, and the potential for errors in the health care system.
c. Explain the importance of quality improvement as the process pertains to improving the quality and safety of patient care.
4. Support entries with quotations from the book as needed and with additional literature and sources from the course and the library.
