I want honest opinions here. I consider myself one of the many that think the Joint Commission has outlived its usefullness. Every year more National Patient Safety Goals, Sentinel Event alerts and more Do Not Use abbreviations. While the Joint Commission does have some very important safety goals and patient safety recomendations, To me its seems that it is an organization that turns a blind eye and a deaf ear to the obvious and focuses on the irrelevant.
For example, A few year back a Sentinel Event alert was issued abour MRI safety. Although MRI incidents may occur, the number is relatively low - However Patient care in hospital up and down the country continues to suffer due to short staffing or over-burdened nurses.
In every Sentinel Event alert or National Patient Safety Goal, workplace recomendations are issued by the Joint Comission - In nearly every instance, Better nurse staffing is recomended.
How come with each new Patient safety goal or Sentinel event alert - nursing paperwork/charting increases and time for actual patient care is diminished?
If the Joint Commision was serious about patient safety, NATIONWIDE NURSE TP PATIENT STAFFING RATIO'S would be implemented.
