What is safety? - Answers freedom from psychological and physical injury, is a basic human need. Health
care provided in a safe manner and in a safe community environment is essential for a patient's survival
and well-being.
What does a safe environment help reduce? - Answers reduces the risk for illness and injury and helps to
contain the cost of health care by preventing extended lengths of treatment and/or hospitalization,
improving or maintaining a patient's functional status, and increasing a patient's sense of well-being.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ, 2018a) describes key features of a "culture of
safety": - Answers • Identify patients correctly.
• Improve staff communication.
• Use medicines safely.
• Use alarms safely.
• Prevent infection.
• Identify patient safety risks.
• Prevent mistakes in surgery.
• Acknowledgment of the high-risk nature of an organization's activities and the determination to
achieve consistently safe operations
• A blame-free environment where individuals are able to report errors or near misses without fear of
reprimand or punishment
• Encouragement of collaboration across levels of employees and disciplines to seek solutions to patient
safety problems
• Organizational commitment of resources to address safety concerns
A patients environment includes: - Answers physical and psychosocial factors that influence or affect the
life and survival of that patient.
Why is vulnerable population at risk for alterations in safety? - Answers because of reduced access to
health care, fewer resources, and increased morbidity.
Vulnerable populations include - Answers infants, children, older adults, individuals with a chronic
disease or a physical or mental disability, individuals who have difficulty communicating, and individuals
who have a low-income or are homeless
What does a safe environment provide - Answers A safe environment meets basic needs, reduces
physical hazards as well as the transmission of pathogens, and controls pollution.
,Physiological needs include - Answers Physiological needs, including the need for sufficient oxygen,
nutrition, and optimum temperature, influence a person's safety.
Why are patients on supplemental oxygen at safety risk? - Answers Patients who require supplemental
oxygen in health care settings are at risk because oxygen is highly flammable.
Examples on how fire can occur when using oxygen? - Answers Pt choose to smoke or is exposed to a
heat source.
Low concentrations of oxygen causes - Answers Low concentrations of oxygen cause nausea, dizziness,
headache and fatigue.
Not preparing or storing foods properly increases the risk for what? - Answers infections and food
poisoning from norovirus or bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, or Listeria.
Who are more prone to becoming hypothermic in extreme cold weather - Answers Older adults, the
young, patients with cardiovascular conditions, patients who have ingested drugs or alcohol in excess,
and people who are homeless are at high risk for hypothermia.
What does extreme heat changes in the body? - Answers Changes the electrolyte balance and raises the
core body temperature
Who are at greater risk for injury from extreme heat? - Answers Chronically ill patients, older adults, and
infants are at greatest risk for injury from extreme heat.
What is the third leading cause of death? - Answers Untententional injuries
What are the leading causes of unintentional death - Answers Motor vehicle accidents, poisonings, and
falls were the leading causes of unintentional injuries
What age group has the leading cause of death from MVA? - Answers 16-19 year olds. It is also the
leading cause in general for this age group as well.
What are factors for older patients declining driving skills? - Answers Age-related decline in vision and
cognitive functioning (ability to reason and remember) and physical changes affect driving abilities of
some older adults
Ways to promote safety amount older adult driving - Answers Exercising regularly to increase strength
and flexibility.
• Asking the doctor or pharmacist to review medications—both prescription and over-the counter—to
reduce side effects and interactions.
• Having eyes checked by an eye doctor at least once a year and wearing glasses and corrective lenses as
required.
• Driving during daylight and in good weather.
, • Finding the safest route, with well-lit streets, intersections with left-turn arrows, and easy parking.
What is a poison ? - Answers A poison is any substance that impairs health or results in death when
ingested, inhaled, injected, or absorbed into the 387body. Poisons often impair the function of every
major organ system.
Sources of poison in a person's home may include - Answers medicines, solid or liquid cleaning
substances, gases, and vapors.
Who are at greatest risk of poisoning? - Answers Toddlers, preschoolers, and young school-age children
are at greatest risk because of their curiosity, often ingesting household cleaning solutions, medications,
or personal hygiene products in the home.
What is the best resource for patients and parents needing information about treatment of an
accidental poisoning? - Answers A poison control center is the best resource for patients and parents
needing information about the treatment of an accidental poisoning. The nationwide poison control
hotline center phone number is 1-800-222-1222.
Who are more prone to lead poisoning ? - Answers Fetuses, infants, and children are more vulnerable to
lead poisoning than adults because their bodies absorb lead more easily, and small children are more
sensitive to the damaging effects of lead.
What does exposure to excessive levels of lead do in children? - Answers Exposure to excessive levels of
lead affects a child's growth or causes learning and behavioral problems and brain and kidney damage.
second leading cause of accidental or unintentional injury deaths worldwide is - Answers Falls
Who has the highest risk of death or serious injury from a fall? - Answers Older adults have the highest
risk of death or serious injury following a fall
Risk factors for falls include - Answers • Occupations at elevated heights or other hazardous working
conditions.
• Alcohol or substance use.
• Socioeconomic factors, including poverty, overcrowded housing, sole parenthood, or young maternal
age.
• Underlying medical conditions, such as neurological, cardiac (orthostatic hypotension), or other
disabling conditions.
• Polypharmacy and side effects of medications.
• Physical inactivity and loss of balance, particularly among older adults.
• Poor mobility (impaired balance, gait, coordination), cognition, and vision, particularly among those
living in an institution, such as a nursing home or chronic care facility.