Do people actually do safety checks?

[Florence NightinFAIL]

I'm surprised at how many times I've seen charted safety checks but when I come into the room I find: the suction/oxygen units do not work or there are no nasal prongs/02 masks/ n!pple adapters/suction tubings etc.

It's so annoying.

[Summer Breeze]

I'm a new grad working in the ICU. All of the nurses on our unit are really big on doing safety checks... Its the first thing I do when I walk into my patient's room. I think most of the nurses do them, your patients life could be on the line if you didn't. While doing safety checks I've only found suction not hooked up once and clamps not at the bedside.

[rn/writer, RN]

On the unit where I work we don't have just one big checklist with multiple items. We have several checklists throughout the floor that hang near the items to be checked. The crash cart, med fridges, breastmilk fridge, postpartum hemorrhage box, and baby resuscitation box each have their own checklist. The hope is that if you have to make the effort to go to the item you might as well actually look at what you're signing off on. The fridges also require a temp to be written. I see the charges nurses doing this just about every time I work.

Signing for items you haven't really checked is a serious matter. If I were a manager, I would do some spot checking after the employees have signed off and let them know that any previous bad habits would have to change. I'd also put notes in strategic places that would be discovered by someone who is doing a thorough job.

I'd give positive feedback to those who do a good job and keep after those who don't with the possibility of a write-up if the quality of safety checks did not improve.