Why You Need PULSE of NY
In a recent 30 minute presentation about patient safety I
began to talk about the difference between a healthcare proxy and patient
advocate. A woman in her later years
shot her hand up and said “you need to have a friend who knows information
about you in case you can’t speak” she told a room full of her peers. It was apparent as we continued the dialogue
that she didn’t know what a healthcare proxy or advance directives are. We often assume people know what we are
talking about. Patient care is a perfect
example of language that is misunderstood and too often the receiver of the information
is too intimidated to ask or feeling overwhelmed. They also may think they know information but
until it’s time to follow instructions of a care plan – possibly like taking
medication, they realize they don’t understand.
“Do you think that a patient’s bed rail needs to always be
up to avoid falls?” I asked explaining that falls can cause serious injury and
may add as much as $13,000 to a hospital
stay. When most of the audience
nodded, I explained how a patient, no matter their age, may try to climb out of
their bed and this could be tragic. When
visiting a friend in the hospital, if you know they may have fallen in the
past, be sure the nurses know. “If you
see a star or sometimes a picture of a slipper on the door” I explain, “do not encourage
the patient to get up”.
The presentation I cover is about some basic topics costing
healthcare billions of dollars each year.
Falls, infections, literacy, medication and surgery also known as
F.I.L.M.S. is the basis of the presentation.
Other important topics are advance directives, communication for the
best diagnosis and record keeping.
At one community program, audience members admitted that
when discharged from the hospital, they left without understanding their next
steps. Should they go back to the
surgeon, their family physician or not at all?
If they didn’t understand their medications they were given, some people
have told me they wouldn’t get a prescription filled. Understanding before getting surgery that
there are people to help in the hospital with questions or concerns might keep
someone from being readmitted because they didn’t understand their care plan.
Most people are annoyed that they are asked on numerous
occasions their name and birthday. When
learning that this may help reduce errors, participants are encouraged to be
sure every person who treats or transports them asks for 2 forms of ID and
agree that now they will expect to be asked.
Choosing your advocate needs to be done before an emergency
strikes. Will your helper be non-English
speaking, over 95 years old and unable to hear with limited sight? Will your advocate or helper be someone who
loves you so much they can’t think straight and cries continuously when your
clinician talks to you about your cancer diagnosis?
Listening skills, communication examples and fun interaction
can turn patient injury into a celebration of care going right.
Patient safety is not about us – or them. It’s everyone’s responsibility to be part of
the team working around the patient for patient centered care. We all need to work together to keep a
patient safe; friends, family and medical staff. It’s time the information about patient
safety comes out of the hospital walls and lands in the laps of the public so changes
can happen. If you’re looking for a
community presentation that can last 45 minutes to *6 hours, call (516)
579-4711
*The PULSE of NY 6- hour workshop is a certificate
programs. Fees may apply
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