Safety Considerations

[Rosecoloredglasses]

I am not a medsurg nurse. Can someone please give me some examples of safety considerations for medical surgical patients? besides falls...?? Thanks.

[scoochy]

1. Monitor response to 1st dose of medication such as anti-hypertensive, antibiotic, diuretic, etc..

2. Oromaxillofacial surgery patients with wired jaws..risk of aspiration..WIRE CUTTERS and suction at the bedside!!

3. Make certain IV poles can accomodate the weight of infusion pump(s)!

4. Protect skin when using warming/cooling blankets.

5. TAPE allergy..can wreck havoc on skin!

Is the above list examples of what you are looking for?

[ArkansasSN]

While I'm still just a second-year student nurse with a minimal amount of clinical experience (if you could call it that :icon_roll), Lord knows I spend some time on the floor. Which, of course, means I spend countless hours pouring over med/surg careplans. I suppose some of the most frequent nursing diagnoses I come across concerning safety are risk for aspiration (as with your elderly/CVA/N&V/PEG tube patients, some of whom may have poor dentition, difficulty swallowing, or reflux of stomach contents; or the respiratory patients who may aspirate secretions or have an inability to properly clear them); there's the fairly universal risk for infection. I see a lot of risk for (self) injury with some of the geriatric patients, whether it be R/T dementia/Alzheimer's or atypical reactions to medications - some of them quite often pick and pull at IV sites, dressings, etc. You're bound to have a few nutritional/fluid imbalances - lots of CHF, RF, chronic alcoholics. Oh! And the inevitable impaired skin integrity that can stem from incontinence, limited mobility (leading to those wicked little pressure ulcers), colostomies, ileostomies, and the like. During my long months on different med/surg floors, I did quite a bit of pooper-scoopin'. But there's a light at this end of this collegiate tunnel! It'll be worth it soon. There are a number of self-care deficits, but from what I've seen from my facility, the CNA/PCT is responsible for assistance with most ADLs. I often run across the same nursing diagnosis for multiple patients, but each CPOC is completely different from the next, despite the identical nursing diagnosis. It's like anywhere else, I suppose - every patient is different. I don't know how much of this might help to answer your questions, but you just never know what might come rolling up to the floor. Good luck!

[cookienay]

Do a google search for Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals. all kinds of good stuff.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

med errors relate to patient safety

wrong patient, wrong site procedures

bed too high

depending on patient, stuff in the bed is hazardous. I saw a kid get tangled up on 02 tubing and choke (survived because the pulse ox alarmed).